The Origins of Monstrosity
by LokiThisIsMadness
Summary: "The loss of our humanity it's only the origin of monstrosity." Welcome to the 72nd Hunger Games!
1. Power & Control

**You can't have peace without a war,**

 **Without a war, without a war.**

* * *

 **Miraya Hannett, 35, Capitol Citzen.**

* * *

The rain doesn't stop.

Since I was a little girl, I always hated the rain. It doesn't give you that warm feeling that everything will be alright like the sun does, instead it makes us wonder if it could get worse. Like my mother always said, it's not a good sign when it rains too much. It means that something truly bad is about happen. Either that, or the universe is just being an idiot.

I can't be nervous for what's about to happen. It would destroy everything that we have been working on the past few months, and our first chance in a few years would go to waste. It's time. We need a hero, though. Someone that will have the strenght to face the Capitol and endure everything that the Capitol will throw at them. For me, the answer is clear like it always was.

We need a Victor. Of course, someone from the Districts would work just fine, but a Victor has the special spark that I need. That we need to finally take down the Capitol once and for all. But who could it be? The past few years had been a disappointment. First, there was Finnick. Young, bold with lion-heart that with the right kind of fire could take the entire Capitol. I managed to talk to him once, before the 70th Hunger Games. Being who I was certantly has privileges.

I was overjoyed when he said yes. But then, the 70th Hunger Games happened. Annie Cresta got out of the arena with barely any sanity left, and Finnick never left her side since then. Of course, I understood. Love made us do crazy things, things that could not seem like the right thing to do in other people's eyes.

I lost my rebel. But still, wasn't going to give up. Over the years, there were other interesting people. Cashmere, Gloss. I can't say that I wasn't suprised when the so famous siblings from District One offered to help us finding that one person. The thing is, and I learned that a few months after, appearances aren't everything. It turns out that the so called "fake" siblings from District One also had people that they cared about, people that they wanted to protect. Cashmere had her childhood boyfriend, the one that she secretly had a crush on, and Gloss had his family. A 2 year old soon, a wife and a newborn daughter.

Human beings might be able to handle everything that's thrown at them but when people mess with the ones we care about, we change completly. We lose our humanity and sometimes, that's the origin of monstrosity.

The sound of my daughter's crying brings me back to reality. She's small but beautiful as I curl her small body against mine. Kissing the small curls of blonde hair on her little head, I let my baby girl do the comforting for the both of us. Sierra always managed to calm me down, even when I though it was impossible. She's the reason I'm doing this. Her and Tobias. My oldest son, whose world is all about video games and which girl he should ask to date him, doesn't deserve this. He deserves to live peacefully, away from that monster that he has to call father every day.

It's my fault. All my fault. I was the one that fell in love with him, and dragged two innocent chidren into this world. I always believed that love was strenght. Only a few years later I realized that it was our most fatal weakness. I loved him more than anything in the world and he loved me. At least, that was what I thought. After we got married, everything was okay. He was the best husband in the world and I was the happiest woman in the universe. After I got pregnant with Tobias, everything changed.

He got the job, and I finally saw who my husband truly was. A monster. One day, when I was about 8 months pregnant, I found his plans. All the traps, all the mutts. All the ways to make innocent children suffer for a crime that they didn't commit. I gave birth to Tobias that day and even if I loved him more than my own life, I regretted bringing him into this world. He was too innocent for this and even if I always tried, I would never be able to protect him from the monster that his father was. With Sierra was the same thing.

I had to pretend that it was the same thing, and that I was still madly in love with him. But as much as I tried to deny it, something died inside me that day. There was something else in there, too, a burning desire for justice. To bring down the Capitol once and for all, and bring down my husband in the process.

After it was done, we would move away from the Capitol. Probably to District Four or One and in there, I could teach my children what real courage looked like. That good people did the right thing, no matter the cost. That in the end, I choosed to give up everything to make sure they grew up in a safe place, always happy. I can imagine that it was suprising when the Head Gamemaker's wife volunteered to help the rebel cause here in the Capitol. There weren't many people in here that I knew of, only me, Plutarch and Cinna, the stylist. In a few minutes, I would get to know all of them. My husband wouldn't return until the end of the day, so we would be safe.

Safe to plan whatever future we wanted. That's all I ever wanted for my chidren. A free world, where they wouldn't have to watch other children die. Everytime that someone dies, I remind myself that it could be Tobias or Sierra in there, fighting to live. Because that's what is so wrong. They have to fight for something that they should take for granted. Because children don't deserve to die.

With another look at my little girl, I put her back in her crib, finally sleeping. It's for her. For Tobias. And even for myself. The door bell rings. I fix my hair, and walk straight to the door.

It was time. Let my first rebel meeting begin.

* * *

 **A/N:** Power and Control by Marina and the Diamonds.

Hey, it's me. Yeah, I guess you guys didn't expect this. Well, I have an explanation. I'm finally finished with school until September, with exams all done, and I have a lot of free time in my hands. So I thought, why not? I have a much better plan for this one. And well, it helps that I don't have to be studying and writing at the same time anymore! So, welcome to The Origins of Monstrosity. It will be a wild ride, I can tell you that. And this one will go straight to the end, that's a promise. So here's our prologue, we may or may not see Miraya and her lovely family again. Very soon. )

So, talking about important stuff. The deadline is the 10th of June. Expect another prologue before that. That should give you plenty of time to do a tribute and send him/her to me. No tributes throught reviews. Please. I think that's already a given. Form, number of males/females are on my profile. So, yeah, can't wait to see what you all come up with!


	2. I Don't Care

**"The best of us can find happiness in misery."**

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 **Tobias Hannett, 16, Capitol Citzen.**

* * *

I can't believe what I just saw.

Once in a while, life throws something at you that you're not prepared to handle. For me, this was the case. A few hours ago, I was searching throught the house, not looking for anything special when I found this. A black envelope, with my mother's name on it. Miraya Hannett. I would never know that a name so loved in the Capitol would turn into something so disgusting. My mother was a rebel, possibly working against my father, against our people.

And now, I was the one that held all of it in my hands. The options were simple. I could put this back where it belonged, and pretend that I never knew it existed. The other option, however, was an hard choice to make. I could tell my father and show him what my mother had been doing on her free time. Maybe, he wouldn't hurt her, right? After all, she was his wife and mother to his children and unlike my mother, I knew my father loved us more than anything in the world.

After he all, what he did for me was something that my mother never lifted a finger to do. A few months ago, on my sixteen birthday, my father bought me what I always wanted more than anything in the world. A night with her, a night with my Cashmere. I lift my head to look at the picture of the both of us that I have on my desk and a smile crosses my face.

She's so beautiful. Looking at those crystal blue eyes and golden curls, it makes me feel something that I had never experienced before I met her. Looking at her is like waking up from the life that I had lived since I was born into a better one. One that I know it's really, and one where I can appreciate the small but beautiful things in life. A sunset. The color of the moonlight on Cashmere's hair. Her scent, not the one of cheap perfume and liquor, but her real one. She smells of fresh-cut grash and cinnamon rolls.

Since I met her, my life became better than it ever was. I can't let my mother take away everything that I hold so dear. How could she? She plans on destroying our family from the inside out, from little Sierra to my father. All because of what? Because of people that she never met before, people that couldn't care less about her?

Where is the woman that taught me that family is all we got? That family should be put above everything else, no matter the cost. If my mother doesn't go manage to make her plan work, I can have a future in here. I can follow my father's footsteps to be the best Head Gamemaker that the Capitol has seen in decades, and I can ask Cashmere to marry me and come live with me in here, where she truly belongs. It doesn't matter that we only saw each other a few times, because once she realizes how much I love her, she'll grow to love me too. But if my mother does manage to make her plan come true, everything will be ruined.

I'll lose my father. My best friend, my inspiration to follow my dreams and go somewhere in life. When I was a little boy, he saw my drawings. They weren't much, just a little something that an eight year old could, but they had meaning. They were my ideas for the arenas that my father designed every year. It was one of the best moments in my life when my father said that I had talent. That I would go far and that he would be there to see it, and stand proudly by my side.

I still remember the proud smile on his face when he smiled and ruffled my hair. How could my mother ever think that man was a monster? The one that helped me with my homework every night, the one that spent nights and nights awake with little Sierra in order to let my mother sleep in peace. I don't know much about life , but in my opinion, a monster is someone that hurts people and my father never hurt anyone. In fact, he's one of the best people that I know.

I pick up the envelope once more, and take the pages out. The firsr part consists on profiles of the most important people on Panem, including my father and President Snow. The others have the Victors. Flicking throught the pages, I found her file. Cashmere De'Montfort, all bright and shiny like all of Panem knows her. Panem's Golden Girl is what they call her here in the Capitol. I couldn't agree more. I can say that I'm one of the few people that knows the real Cashmere and, hoping that I can have something of her with me if anything goes wrong, I separate the picture from the rest of the file and put her picture on my pocket.

Just in case. I can't help but glance at our family picture, hanging on my bedroom wall. It was a few months after Sierra was born, when everything was perfect. We looked so happy, the four of us, the perfect Hannett family. I should have realized that something was wrong. It is my duty, after all, since I'm the man in the house when my father is gone. I'm supposed to look after my little sister and my mother too, when that needs to happen. I should have realized that something was wrong when my mother started to refuse to watch the Hunger Games with us, prefering to watch them on her own.

A rebel. Under the Hannett family roof. I suppose we won't be able to leave the house for a while after everyone finds out what my mother has been doing.

Should I do it? Should I tell my father everything that has been happening under his roof, even if it meant that my own mother could go away for a while? I love her, I love her more than anything, but that is also why I'm doing this. She might go awy for a while, but she comes back, everything will be like it once was. She and my father will fall in love with each other again, and I can tell her how much I love Cash.

This is it. I take my phone from my pocket, and dial my father's number.

I'm so sorry, mother. I love you.

"Hey, dad? We need to talk. Do you have a minute?"

* * *

 **A/N:** "I Don't Care" by Fall Out Boy.

A second prologue! Yeah, this is just to keep everyone informed on the Hannett family storyline and because a few people wanted to see what would happen to Miraya. Well, here it is! You'll see what happens in the next prologue, which will be posted one week from now and will have the tribute list and blog.

I want to thank everyone fo every single submission I got far, they are all absolutely brilliant, but I can't accept all of them. Sadly. I am pretty happy with the list I have so far, though, and I hope you all will too.

The tributes are bloody brilliant this year.

Okay, so keep submitting! There are still a few open spaces and who knows? ) Detailed forms have a bigger chance of getting in.

See you next week with the tribute list and blog!


	3. I'm a Ruin

" _ **You still mean everything to me, to me"**_

 _ **"But I wanna be free."**_

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 **Miraya Hannett, 35, Capitol Citzen/ Rebel.**

* * *

If anyone could see us right now, they would say that we were the perfect Capitol family. All three of us, siting at the dinner table, with little Sierra sleeping on her crib next to me. How wrong would they be, though?

Tobias, ahead of me, still has his plate untouched and is keeping his eyes down, probably because he is avoiding something. Or something. I want to ignore that feeling, the one that tells me that something is wrong and that I should pack my bags, take my children and leave for the Districts, but I can't.

I can't, because my son and the little girl sleeping next to me are a constant reminder of what I have to do. Of what I have to be for them, to make a better future for me. And that is something that not even Phinius can take away from me.

But for right now, It's time to play my part. I turn to my husband, a little smile on my face. "So, darling, how was your day?" The usual family stuff. Something that will keep him from knowing what I have been truly doing in the past few months.

He smiles, with the wicked smirk that I used to love so much when we first met. How could we everturnto this? Ruining each other, from the inside out, never knowing which one of us will be the winner, when our children are at stake?

"Wonderful. In fact, I got to make a few alterations in this year's arena. Everyone will absolutely love it. In fact, I even asked the President if I could bring Tobias to work with me in a few weeks, once the Games are done. Since he wants to follow his father's footsteps, it's only good that he starts to know how the job works, don't you think?"

Like hell you will. I would rather die than let him take my son into that world of pain and make him become a monster. But instead of showing my real opinion, like always, I put on a smile and agree with him. Next to me, Sierra wakes up and starts crying. Probably because she's hungry. But like always, she saved me from having to listen to any more of this non-sense.

"Excuse me." I say, and take Sierra from her crib, walking to the kitchen. As I feed her, I can't help but wonder how two people like me and Phinius make something so precious, so innocent. When she looks up at me with those big blue eyes that she got from her grandfather, I know I would rather die than letting anything happen to her. My baby girl is too precious, too innocent to ever live in this world.

If it wasn't for her and Tobias, I don't think I would even be alive by now. I would have throwed myself out of the highest window in the Capitol, and I would have died happily. But now when I have my children to protect. Once all of this is over, we'll go away.

I know Tobias might not want to go, but once I explain everything, I'm sure he'll understand. We might even move to District One, if he wants, since he has that school boy crush on Cashmere. That was something else that I was horrified about when I found out. Phinius selling Cashmere to our son, and introducing him to that world.

He had already started making a monster out of my son, and I never even realized it. But right now, things are going well. I will have our rebel soon, and when I do, we'll tear the Capitol down from the inside out. And, with much pleasure, I'll watch Phinius beg for mercy.

The door bell rings. I frown, wondering who would be. It's 10 pm, after all, and people here in the Capitol don't have the habit of visiting anyone this late. My fellow rebels know to not visit me at this time, so who could it be?

As I walk into the living toom, about 10 Peacekeepers walk in. I freeze. It couldn't be. How would they know?

But I know exactly what they're here for when Phinius turns to me, and ripsour daughter from my arms. Sierra starts crying immediately, and I try to reach her.

To hold her one more time. But Phinius just turns away and gives her to our maid. "Make sure she stays away until my wife is gone." And with that, my daughter is gone.

"NO! NO!" I try to get to her, but something holds me back. The Peacekeepers handcuff me. I turn to Phinius. "Please, please, don't take her, please, she's all I have." I realized that I'm crying already, but I don't let that stop me. He just have some humanity left. The man I loved must be somewhere in there, right?

"You should have thought of that before you turned into a traitor. I won't let them kill you, baby. You'll spend the rest of your miserable live in jail, knowing that I turned your precious children into what you fear the most. A monster."

From one blind moment of anger, I spit on his face. "Root in hell."

Before I can do anything else, Tobias comes rushing one and hugs me, tears streaming down his face. "I'm so sorry, ma. I love you."

I touch his face "Take care of your sister, and please, please don't become something like him."

His face is the last thing I see before everything goes dark.

* * *

 **Tribute List:**

District One:

Male: Aidan Lainell, 18.

Female: Alexa Cadwell, 18.

District Two

Male: Nikolai Faustus, 18.

Female: Sadie Ariste, 18.

District Three:

Male: Blaine Parker, 17.

Female: Nerinea Aravis, 18.

District Four:

Male: Jasko Quinn, 18.

Female: Tiena Pensiere, 18.

District Five:

Male: Kaneki Idris, 16.

Female: Katarina Morellee, 18.

District Six:

Male: Preston Hewitt, 17.

Female: Ryella Duval, 18.

District Seven:

Male: Hex Fillian, 13.

Female: Sedna Orwell, 18.

District Eight:

Male: Fabian Tanaka, 17.

Female: Brooke Devoir, 16.

District Nine:

Male: Oliver Craddocks, 16.

Female: Niamh Gregora, 16.

District Ten:

Male: Coulter Xenophon, 16.

Female: Leila Rorie, 17.

District Eleven:

Male: Bastian Steppes, 17.

Female: Amina Conlan, 17.

District Twelve:

Male: Tyson Moretta, 18.

Female: Amaryllis Carmellia, 16.

* * *

 **A/N:** "I'm a Ruin" by Marina and the Diamonds.

I want to aplogize to those that aren't accepted. I recieved over 40 submissions, and while I want to accept almost all of them, I could only accept this twenty-four that you see up there. Again, I'm truly sorry but at least you have a tribute to submit to another story now!

Congrats to this year's tributes, though! They're all absolutely fantastic,and I can't wait to write about all of them. Blog reviews are very much appreciated! XD Blog link is on my profile.

See you soon!


	4. Lean On

**Chapter Four.**

 **Pre-Reapings Part 1.**

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 **Niamh Gregora; 16 years old.**

 **District Nine Female.**

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The sunset was beautiful.

Niamh closed her eyes, leaning against the trunk of her favorite tree in the Nevaario's house, breathing in the last of the long day. She lit up a cigarette and as she inhaled, the glow from the other end of it matched the sunset before her. For other people, sunsets might not be a big things, but for Niamh, they were everything. They meant that another day was done, and that she had survived. In District Nine, people should take a day from granted. No one knew when it could end, but frankly, no one really wanted to talk about it.

Considering the events of the past few days, or even the past few years, Niamh started to relax. The end of the day was the only time that she could truly be at peace, and be herself. Just be Niamh, for once, the girl who fought hard to keep everything single promise that she made.

She knew that when a time came that everyone had to choose between protecting those that you love and yourself, there were no boundaries. Humans were naturally selfish, when it came down to them and someone else, they would always wanted to save their own skin. Self-preservation is something that most people can't fight against.

Niamh closed her eyes, enjoying the last of the sunset, but she knew it was time to leave. With a sigh, the girl got up, walking down the grassy garden and ducking underneath the thick pine branches, towards the big mansion. She needed to remember to ask Mr. Nevaario's permission to visit her siblings before the reaping. To see if they were okay. To see if their father hadn't destroyed them yet, like he did to Niamh.

Niamh shaked her head. This wasn't the time to think of that man, no, she refused to even waste another second of her time with him. There was only one person worth fighting for, and she was currently inside this house. Niamh just had to find her, and everything would be better.

She only had time to walk past the front door before she was face to face with Toria. The brunette looked confused at seeing her, her hair messy and only wearing a few of her night clothes.

"Tori? You okay?" Niamh asked immediately, checking her to see if anything was wrong. If she had any bruises, any cuts. To know who did that to her, however, would be the last part. And then, of course, her revenge would come later in a most private way. It was Niamh's job to protect Toria since they were children, and that wasn't about to change now. She is so beautiful, though...

"I am, just was in a bit of a rush. Pax is up there, and I heard the door open, so I thought it was my parents but turns out it was you." Toria winked, and in a second, stole Niamh's cigarette pack from her bag. Ah. Niamh understood it all know,from Tori's messy hair to her night clothes. And she couldn't stop the jealousy that hit her right after that.

"Tori, c'mon, you know that isn't good for you. You're not supposed to be smoking around me, anyway. Your parents would fire me if they knew I let you smoke on my watch. I'm supposed to be protecting you, after all. Always and forever."

Toria laughed, and punched Niamh lightly on the shoulder. Just the feeling of her hand made Niamh's skin twice hotter than that the temperature outside. And it was always pretty hot in District Nine. "C'mon, Nim, you know you don't have to take care of me. I'm a big now. You're here because I love your company, and your my best friend too. Don't think you can tell me what to do, Miss Gregora."

She laughed. God, why did Niamh loved her laugh so much? When Tori laughed, it was like the whole world around Niamh light up. It didn't matter if it was raining, and it didn't matter if Niamh was happy or sad, Tori could always make her smile.

It was her kidness. Her smile. Her eyes. There was nothing in this district that could make Niamh happier than the woman in front of her. Niamh wanted so badly to wrap her arms around her, and kiss her like the world would end in a few minutes. It had already happened once, so why couldn't it happen again?

Niamh was sure that Tori didn't remember, because she was drunk and passed out a few minutes later, but Niamh did remember it with everything she had. That kiss, that night was everything that she had to hold on to when she watched Tori with Pax. When she was forced to sit at the dinner table with both of them, the perfect couple. Knowing that Tori's parents would never accept a relationship between the two of them.

That they would never accept the fact that Niamh was madly in love with Toria and that everyday, when she was a little girl, she prayed to every God that existed that no one would take Toria away from her. Loving Toria made her a better person, made her forget everything that her bastard of a father did to her.

And suddenly, it was like some kind of freakish God had been listening to her. Toria was staring at her, those blue eyes starting her with such... curiosity? Niamh allowed herself to dream that maybe there was a bit of love in there, too. Suddenly, they were getting closer and closer.

Niamh was about to grab Tori's waist and bring her closer to her, to kiss her, when Pax came downstairs, hair ruffled and calling out for Toria. When he reached them, the two girls were forced to get away from her each other. That brought Niamh back to reality. She was just the maid, Toria's bodyguard and hopeful best friend, but she was nothing else. Not a girlfriend. Not a lover.

Pax reached for Tori, and brought her in for a big kiss. Niamh forced herself to look away. She wouldn't force herself to watch that, no, there were other times when she would have no way out, but this wasn't one.

She would never have the courage to kiss her like that. To tell her how she really felt, because Niamh was just a maid and nothing special while Tori was gorgeous and funny and endlessly fascinating, while Niamh was endlessly boring.

So, she would have to do what she did best and bury her feelings deep down. And be by Tori's side, and protect her, like she always did. That was the only way that Niamh could be close to her and she wasn't giving that up for anything.

But in the end, she would always be the second choice.

* * *

 **Tiena Pensiere; 18 years old.**

 **District Four Female.**

* * *

"Hello, Tiena."

"Hello, Jasko."

She heard him coming, of course, but Tiena tried to ignore it. Jasko Quinn wasn't know for being the most quiet person around the Academy, of course. She had never met him in person, not even yesterday when they were both chosen as the male and female volunteer. Today was her special day, and she wouldn't let anyone take it away from her. Not even the famous Jasko Quinn, with his soft words and good looks.

She turned around, looking straight into Jasko's eyes. She might be smaller, but that didn't mean that she was weaker than him. That was Tiena's number one rule. She refused to show fear to anyone, no matter who they were and if they thought that they were stronger than her or not. She refused to show them what she was truly feeling on the inside, because that's when they would know her true weakness.

Tiena refused to give people like Jasko the satisfaction. She didn't need a man to get where she was now,and she certantly wouldn't need a man to get her Victory. She had done it all on her own, all the nights training after everyone had left and of hard work, it was all her. When she won, people would have to recognize her hard-work.

That was all she ever wanted. To be recognized. To stand taller than everyone else that had ever looked down on her, like she was some kind of freak that didn't belong in a Career District. Jasko included. Even now, that he was here, he still kept that playful look on his face. Oh, how Tiena would love to wip that smug look of his face one day.

"Aw," Jasko placed a hand on her shoulder, and seemed to ignore it when Tiena backed away. "Nice work you have there." He pointed to the targets in front of them, a weird look on his face. "Maybe you would like to stop that for a while and come with us?"

Tiena arched an eyebrow. "Us?"

"Me and a few of our peers are going to party down at the docks, y'know, to celebrate the fact that we were chosen. It seems only fitting that you would come too. Party a bit and maybe something else?" That wink that he gave her was disgusting.

He really did think that his good looks would solve everything? Hard-work and training were the solution for everything, not good looks. Looks wouldn't get no one anywhere in the arena, when someone was chasing you with an axe. "No, thanks. I think I would prefer training for a little bit longer. The arena is so close too. Better make the most of our time."

Jasko laughed, but Tiena could see that the smile didn't reach his eyes. "I'll see you around, I suppose." Well, fuck him. She didn't need him, or anyone else for that matter. Or did she?

 _You're useless, Tiena. You'll be the first to die._

Tiena shaked her head. No, no, no. Those thoughts had to be kept buried deep inside, right where they belonged. They didn't belong in her head, where they could ruin this perfect day. She couldn't let her insecurities, those dark dark thoughts, ruin what she had work so hard for. This was her chance to die, her chance to show them who she really was.

Before she had the chance to pick up another spear, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. She was about to turn around and tell Jasko that if he touched her again, it would be the last time he had hands, even she felt the familiar scent and let herself relax in his arms.

Tiena wasn't someone too open to moments of weakness like right now, but there was something about Damian that was good. It made her feel something that she had never felt before and it felt so good, so impossibly good, that she never wanted to let go.

There was a moment when she just wanted to give up everything, to stay like this for the rest of her life. In the arms of someone that loved her. Damian loved her, and that was it. There were no doubts with it, no what ifs. For once in her life, there was someone that trusted her with their whole heart and was happy to let her decide what to do. Where to go. Who to see.

 _That is, until you screw everything up. Like always._

That thought made her jump for Damian's arms, all of a sudden. He turned his attention to her, preparing to fix anything that was wrong with her. That was Damian. Always worrying about her, always preparing to put her needs before his own. It was always like that, and Tiena doubted that it would ever change.

"Wow, beautiful, are you okay?" He put a bit of hair behind her ear, and Tiena couldn't help but wonder if she deserved this. She was selfish, yes, but she knew that she would kill anyone that dared to even think of taking this from her.

Let them try, she thought. Let them try and fail, over and over again.

But instead, she put on a smile and brought Damian in for a kiss. _Let them how happy we are together. Let them see that for once, Tiena Pensiere was someone's first choice._

"What did Jasko Quinn want?" Damian asked, after broke the kiss. Damian put her needs before his own, but that didn't mean that he couldn't be a bit jealous, from time to time. Even when people like Jasko Quinn were involved.

Tiena laughed. "He was wondering if I wanted to sleep with him." That made Damian burst out laughing.

"Well, he needs to get in line." She wanted to laugh at him, to mad at him, but she couldn't. All that she felt was happiness, happiness that she had someone like Damian on her side. Someone that understood her, someone that would always put her needs before his own.

Instead, Tiena wrapped her hand around his, and lead him back into the spear training station. If Tiena Pensiere managed to have someone like Damian, all on her own, then she would do the same thing with the games. She just needed to bury those feeling deep inside her, where they could never hurt her in the Games.

And believe in herself.

* * *

 **Nikolai Faustus; 18 years old.**

 **District Two Male.**

* * *

Nikolai almost fell off the roof when he felt someone shaking him awake. He should be used to it by now, since it wasn't very unusual for him to fall asleep on a roof either. Of course, he had his reasons. His job wasn't the easiest one around and paired with five hours of training every day, any rational human would fall asleep in the first thing that they got, either a counch or a bed, it didn't matter.

It didn't stop him from jumping when Julian's head appeared next to his. His best friend, with his quiet mind and books, was the only one that knew why Nikolai came here in the middle of night, when there were thousands of other places that he could be. Hanging out with a nice girl. Drinking. But still, the boy choose the stars and the calm of his own thoughts, and in the end, he would never say that he regreted it.

He didn't. He wasn't very well-liked in District Two, but still, he could say that the feeling was mutual. The people didn't look at him like they looked at the Careers, no, they only looked at him like he didn't belong in there. They never made him feel wanted. It was funny, though, how they hated his family but wouldn't be considered a Career District if it wasn't for me. They forged the Academy's weapons and gave them all the supplies that they needed to make proper Careers. It didn't stop the Careers from looking down at them, though.

But still, Nikolai couldn't help but laugh when Julian sat down next to him. "Damn it, I did it again, didn't I?"

Julian sighed. "Yeah, man. You disappoined District Two, I hope you're happy now. I bet there's no way now that you'll ever win the Games. Seriously, though, Nik. You're the laziest person that I know. You would probably fall off a tree in the Games while you were sleeping."

The two boys started at each other, serious for a second, but then burst out laughing in the other. "Yeah, yeah, we'll talk about it when I win the Hunger Games and ask your girlfriend out in a date. You know she won't say no, man. Oh wait. You don't have one."

Julian turned red in that second, which made Nik smile. "Relax, man, I'm just messing with you. You know I don't mean it." His best friend was always there when needed to have a good laugh, or when he needed to talk about something. Like what would happen in a few weeks.

After a while, Julian turned to him. "You know, they picked Sadie Ariste to volunteer this year." Nik couldn't say that he was suprised.

"Wow, the scary hot girl? Maybe I should reconsider volunteering this year. I suppose I don't have many chances of winning the Games if I'm in there with her. After all, if you're the Capitol, who would you pick to sponsor? The scary hot girl or the lazy guy?" Julian laughed, but Nik couldn't tell that there was something that his best friend hadn't told him yet.

"They also picked a male to volunteer.""Julian said, but Nik quickly put that aside. Of course they would, after all, he wasn't even training in there. If they didn't know him, how could they pick him?

"Of course they did," Nik said. "Just wait until I volunteer at the reaping. They'll all be wondering where I came from and that, my friend, will be my biggest strenght. Someting that our scary hot girl won't have."

"Nik, you know what they do to the people that go against the Academy's orders." In Nik's opinion, Julian worried too much. There was nothing to worry about. He would be fine because as soon as he became a tribute, no one could warm him. And when he came back a Victor, he would show them how well h could use weapons. That he wasn't just the boy who created them.

"Jul, c'mon, you know I don't give a fuck about what they think. I'll volunteer, and that's it. When I come back, they'll be begging for me to teach them how do you forge a weapon." That seemed to make Julian more calm. Good. Nik never liked having nervous people around him, because that would make him nervous too. God knows that being nervous wouldn't get him anywhere in the Games.

He was supposed to be calm. And make his way to Victory even calmer, like his father always said. But how was he supposed to be calm, when he just watched 23 other people die? Nik supposed that after watching so many people die, he would have changed a bit. For the better, he hoped.

He was going into the Games because he wanted the prove the Careers wrong, to prove them that he wasn't just the weapon smith's son. That besides forging weapons, he also knew how to use them. That he would do as well as they would in the Games. But there was a part of him, deep inside, that also hoped that he could change for the better if he did manage to make it out. That he could become someone braver, someone stronger. Someone that wouldn't be afraid to do whatever needed to be done.

He wouldn't let anyone stand in his way to Victory, not even scary Sadie Ariste with her Career training and good looks. He would prove them that even if he wasn't a Career, he could be as great as they were and even more capable of leading an alliance. The only thing that they would know was that, weapon smith or not, he could lead them to Victory. Well, not all of them. He could lead himself to Victory, and the others would only means to an end.

Nik didn't like it, though. He hated when he had to manipulate people, because it reminded him of how the younger Careers were manipulated to do whatever the trainers and Victors wanted when they first entered the Academy.

He would do it, though. If it mean the difference between his life and death, between staying as the weapon smith's son and being something more, there was nothing that he wouldn't.

And no one that could stop him.

* * *

 **Hex Fillian; 13 years old.**

 **District Seven Male.**

* * *

The silence was unnerving.

Hex used to like the silence when he was younger, but not anymore. The silence scared him, it made him feel like things were about to change. When there was noise, Hex was happy. He felt like there were so many possibilities in the noise, so many things that he could learn and so many things that could happen. In the silence, he was left with his insecurities. With his fears. It was like being stuck in a nightmare for the rest of his days, forced to face his worst fears over and over again.

Like that day when he almost lost his hearing. He was exploring his father's work place, as happy as he could ever be when it happened. An industrial cutter clamped down while Hex was playing on the conveyer belt, trapping him in a confined space within the machine though safe from the blades. He didn't remember what happened after. Only that they rushed him home. Nothing after that. Silence.

But for now, he could live with it. It was this time of the day, the lazy afternoon with Wyla on his side, that made it worth living. Hex was someone that wasn't used to having much so for him, this was alright. He had all that a teenage boy could ask for right now. In here, next to the river, he could forget all about the world outside. He could enjoy all the simple things, like the way the sun turned Wyla's hair to a light brown, or how her smile seemed to light up the whole worl around him.

It was a strange feeling for Hex. He had never felt anything like that before, the way that his mood could change if he was or wasn't around Wyla. It seemedlike the more he was around her, the better he felt. Around her, he could forget everything that happened in his home. But when he was away from her, that was when things got worst.

He remembered everything that happened. He remembered the pain on his mother's face when the midwife told them that his sister hadn't make it. When they buried her in their backyard. That's what most families in the District did, when they didn't have money for a proper funeral. They buried their children on the backyard, usually with a small tree growing next to it. It was a way to make sure that their spirit never died, his father had said.

Hex remembered asking him why people had to die in the first place. Why did his little sister have to die? His father said that it was because she was too innocent, too pure to ever live on this cruel world, ruled by the Capitol. And that she had no way of defending herself when Death came for her.

Not today. Those were the words that Hex had craved into a tree next to the river. He had no idea of what those words meant by then, but now, he had started to learn more. They meant that the only thing that someone could say to death was not today. Because they had earned another day. They deserved to live, right?

From what Hex had learned since he was a little kid, he thought the answer was yes. He would hold on into that answer until he couldn't, because that was the only hope that he had that life would always be this way. Plain. Simple. Beautiful.

A rock throw into the river into a bit of too much strenght distracted Hex from his thoughs. "Hey, little guy, what are you thinking?"

Hux chuckled. "Just wondering if my ma would worry if we stayed on here for a little longer. You know, until the sunset."

"I'm sure she wouldn't. You're only her little boy, after all."

 _I wouldn't be her only child if my sister was alive.._

"Ah, Hex, you know she wouldn't. She knows that you feel better around here and besides, she knows where you are and who you are with. She loves me, you know."

That brought a smile to Hex's face. Wyla did always have a way of making him feel better, no matter what. "Yes, you are absolutely her favorite person in the world. Bet she even loves you more than me."

Wyla burst out laughing and a few minutes later, Hex did the same."You know, you shouldn't worry. Our District has a chance. Johanna made it home last year. Maybe she can help bringing someone this year."

He sighed. He never really liked Johanna in the first place, so why should he believed that she could help bringing someone home? She was wicked, cruel, the right kind of person that belonged in this cruel world, like his father said.

She murdered children. That was something that Hex wasn't sure if he could ever do. Murder innocent children that could be exactly like him, that had family and friends and people that depended on him. He could never do it, kill people and change into something worse. If Hex was ever reaped for the Games, he wanted to stay like he was right now. To be himself. Curious, fun-loving Hex. That was who he was, and no one would ever be able to change that. Not even the Capitol.

No one would change him, no matter how hard they would try.

It was nice to enjoy an afternoon like this. They were children, not even teenagers yet, that only wanted to enjoy the time together. Hex would do anything, give anything to make sure that Wyla always stayed like this. Young. Hopeful. Safe. Beautiful. He never wanted much for him, no, he only wanted to make sure that his best friend would be safe and sound for the rest of her life.

He had prayed like this, the day his sister died, but nothing had happened. She was still dead. Surely this time, his prayers would be answered, right? It was what his mother always told him. God couldn't always help the same person. One time for one, another time for other. Hex was sure that there would come a time when God would turn to him and answer his prayers. He had done everything that his mother told him, everything in the right way. There would come a time for him, he knew it.

It would be his chance.

He believed.

* * *

 **Here it is! The first chapter of the pre-reapings, with our first 4 tributes! Thank you to Jake (jakey121) for letting me use his format! A great friend, as always.**

 **Let me know what you think and I'll see you soon! XD**


	5. High Hopes

**Chapter Five.**

 **Pre-Reapings Part Two.**

* * *

 **Aidan Lainell; 18 years old.**

 **District One Male.**

* * *

It was a beautiful day. In District One, the day before the reaping was always something to look out for. Everyone, rich or poor or young or old, left their daily taks and joined together at the square for a big and welcoming barbecue. It wasn't much, but it was tradition since the beginning of the Hunger Games, and Aidan was more than happy to join in.

However, it was always special for the chosen volunteers. They got to play a big part in the next day, to represent all of those people, so why shouldn't they be rewarded? In the end, a big cake was brought in and listening to the Capitol anthem, the volunteers ate the first two slices of the cake and shaked hands. They said it was important and for tradition's sake, but Aidan knew better. Usually, the tributes from their district were quite friendly towards each other, but it wasn't always like that. If they ended up being the final 2, all of that disappeared. Survival was all that mattered in the end.

But he was still at home, and he was still alive, so Aidan ignored those thoughts and enjoyed his piece of cake. Frankly, he was getting quite annoyed because every time that he tried to eat a bit more, someone came to congratulate him. At first, it was quite nice because he got to hear all of that praise but it got boring after some time. Always the same thing.

 _Congrats, man._

 _I know you'll make us proud, Mr. Lainell._

 _Thank you for representing us, Aidan._

Still, the people that he wanted to see weren't really in here. Since he was the volunteer, he was one of the first to arrive, with Alexa following him, a few seconds later. She had made her speech, charming and with that playful smile of hers, but Aidan didn't listen to a single word. Well, maybe he did listen to the part about how honorable it was that they had chosen her to volunteer and how she could only thank her mother and father for making her in a Career District.

Everyone cheered for her. Alexa Cadwell, the promising young girl that would surely give them another Victor. Aidan included, but his head was somewhere else. But when his turn came, Aidan did everything in his power to be better than her. He spoke about the sacrifices that his parents had made for him, and all that he would do for them when the time came. How he would pay everything back when the time came.

Alexa might have her good looks and playful personality,but Aidan had his words. And they had never failed him before. Once his speech was done, and after he had done all of the goodbyes, the two people that he wanted to see the most came rushing to him, almost throwing him to the ground.

Cordelia throwed herself into his arms, and stayed there for a little bit. Aidan messed her hair, but kept it away from her face. "How are you doing, little sister? Enjoying the party?"

A bright smile made its way to Cordelia's face. They were so rare, and yet so bright, that Aidan did his best to memorize them whenever they appeared. "There's cake, Ai, of course I do! Do you think we can get a few slices for mom and dad?"

That means they weren't coming. Aidan ignored that feeling on his gut, and smiled at his little sister. He would deal with the human feelings later. All he had right now was the fact that his siblings were here, with him, and that was all that mattered. Aidan felt someone kick him in his back but, already knowing who it was, he grabbed the boy in a headlock, and ruffed his hair.

"Please, big brother, tell me that you'll throw me a party like this when you come home. Or I'll volunteer myself and become more famous than you."

They both laughed, but they both knew that he could never do that. Daniel wasn't strong enough to be accepted in the Academy, and his problems didn't help that much, either.

Aidan knelt next to Daniel, hoping that he could make sure the boy knew this before he felt. "Listen, Dan. They're fools to not accept you in the Academy. Because once I return from the Games, I'll train you myself."

"Will I be able to choose any weapon I want?" Daniel asked, a look of hope starting to appear on his face.

"Yes you will, buddy." Aidan hugged him, trying to keep to himself the fact that he would prefer if his little brother stayed out of the Games forever. Too dangerous.

Before he could say anything else, Idaline joined them. Like whenever he was with his girlfriend, Aidan felt like the weight of the world had been lift out of his shoulders. "Idaline!" Both Daniel and Cordelia reached to meet her, but Aidan's eyes stayed focused on his girlfriend. He just needed a moment alone with her, before he left for the Games. Idaline seemed to be able to read his thoughts, because as soon as Daniel and Cordelia left to get some cake for their parents, she turned to him.

"Wanna go for a walk, handsome? You look like you need a breath of fresh air." He laughed, nervously.

"The price of fame can be quite difficult to pay." She laughed and kissed him, and they left, holding hands. When they were walking throught the district, Aidan tried to decide between inviting her for dinner at La Plause or simply take her to the movies.

Both would be good. It was a shame that he only had movie for one of them, though. When they were passing throught the poorest side of the district, Idaline froze. Aidan noticed a boy, a few years younger than Daniel, curled up in the ground, with some very old looking clothes. He didn't look like he was older than eight, with dirty blonde hair. From the way that he was shaking, Aidan could tell that he probably didn't eat anyting for a while.

He sighed. This was the right thing to do, and also what Idaline wanted him to do. He had no other choice. But deep down, there was a part of him that also wanted to help this boy. He got the coins, and gave them to the boy. The smile and happiness on that boy's face were worth it.

For Aidan, it was always a choice between right or wrong. He just hoped he could always make the right choice in the Games.

* * *

 **Katarina Morellee; 18 years old.**

 **District Five Female.**

* * *

"Do we have anything to do besides get drunk?" Katarina hung her head over the back of the couch with an exasperated sigh, and Tanna shifted uncomfortably next to her.

"We could play cards?" She suggested uncertainly. "Or I've probably got some board games-"

Kat laughed just as she finished another sip of her beer, "What are we, nine? Have you ever thrown a party before?"

"This isn't a a party," Tanna shrugged. "We're just hanging out."

"Well," Kat opened up another beer, and passed it to Tanna. "It could have been a party if I could invite everyone that I wanted. This is my house, after all." Kat didn't want to admit it, but Tanna was probably right in the end. If her parents came here to find their house filled with drunk teenagers, they would probably be quite angry. Not that she cared or anything, but if it was annoying enough to have to listen to them when they weren't angry, imagine when they were.

"Drink up, my friend. You know you can be happier when you're drunk. Makes us forget the shitty life that we have around here." To be honest, the day before the reaping was one of the very few that Katarina could feel absolutely good. Knowing that maybe, just maybe, she could have the chance of finally leaving this awful place and being who she was.

If she won, Kat could only start to imagine what she would get. She would be a Victor. No longer they would look at her like the useless daughter, the one who isn't good at anything. I certantly don't agree with that...

She would better than Blaize. She would be better than Serenity. Kat certantly wouldn't mind in wasting a few drops of blood, that weren't her own, to get that. So let the Hunger Games come, she thought. She wasn't scared of them, she couldn't be. She had faced worst things in her life before. And in the Games, she would be able to use her most useful skill.

That was one of the best things in life, for Katarina. She enjoyed playing with people's minds, leading them to do whatever she wanted. It was almost funny who easily people could be lead to do whatever she wanted, and all it took was a little bit of effort. She used the words for the girls and her body for the boys, or even the other way around. No matter, she always got what she wanted. Wait, not all of it.

There was one thing that Kat wanted. And that she never got the chance to have. She wanted her old life back, the one that belonged to her and that was taken when Blaize was born. She needed their attention. She was human too, there were times when she needed her mother. When she had things that could only be told to her mother. Or when she needed her father to tell her that he loved her. Or that he was proud of her. When it was just her and Serenity, it was good.

They were sisters and although her sister was a little brat, they loved each other. They were a true family, the two of them and their parents. But when the rat was born, everything changed.

He took everything from her. Her sister, her mother, her father. He took them all from her when he was born, so Kat promised to herself that she would also take everything from him, when he started to grow up.

Everything he ever loved would be taken from him. That was a promise.

Suddenly, Tanna threw her phone to the ground, and stood up, looking at Kat with wide eyes.

Bloody hell. Kat wondered what could have happened now.

"Did you hear about Serenity's party tonight? She invited everyone but us! Kat, how is that possible? She is your sister!" Tanna was the closest thing that Kat had to a friend, but she could be completly ridiculous sometimes. Like now, for example. Like she didn't have a clue that Serenity and Kat weren't exactly the best of friends.

"Who cares about Serenity's party? We have a party of our own right here, dear friend," Kat lifted her beer and took another sip of it. "Besides, we both know that the only way that Serenity can get someone to come to her party is by opening her legs, like she always does."

In a way, Kat admired her sister as much as she hated her. Serenity had a way of getting what she wanted, she just like Kat with her words and... the other tricks that weren't worth talking about. That's why she hated when Serenity tried to use that with her. It just didn't worth. Kat wasn't anyone's pawn, and she refused to ever come close to being one. That's why she put on the mask.

It was a little trick that she learned with her dearest family and honestly, it worked every single time. Her true emotions were supposed to be kept burried deep inside. That way, no one would ever know what they should use against her.

That's why she kept as much distance as she could from her stupid little family. She couldn't let them see how much she wanted that. How much she wanted her father to look at her and tell her that he was proud of her, like he did to Blaize and Serenity. The younger child and the oldest one.

No one cared about the middle child. That's why she was better like this. Being a bitch, and pretending that she didn't care about anyone's feelings but her own. Maybe one day, that would work out and she would finally stop caring. Kat hoped that it would work out like that.

So let the Hunger Games come. Katarina was ready, ready to face everything that they could throw at her. She wouldn't go down, even if they killed her a thousand times. She was ready to face it.

She would never, ever give up.

* * *

 **Jasko Quinn; 18 years old.**

 **District Four Male.**

* * *

This wouldn't be about them anymore.

As Jasko watched his fellow trainees dance around, he couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief. He was done with all of this, he was already in another level. He was Jasko Quinn, and when he made it back home, he wouldn't have to handle any of this.

He would be Jasko Quinn, the Victor. He would never be considered as Jasko Quinn, the fisher's boy again. But for now, he could enjoy this. What kind of Victor would he be if he didn't know how to enjoy a party? This was all for himself, after all. For himself and Tiena.

He cared about the girl. Not as much as he cared about himself, of course, but he did care about her. He cared because he know that she would be so easy to manipulate, that she might even end up killing herself for him in the future. Besides, she was also a beauty. Jasko had an eye for beautiful things, things that he could appreciate and that made his life even better.

That's why he absolutely adored living in Four. It was just a beautiful life, full of things that he could enjoy and that would become even better, once he became a Victor. In Four, he could enjoy the small things that made his life even better. Like the sea, for example. It was always something that Jasko enjoyed since he was a little kid, because it calmed him down. Jasko guessed that it would look even better once he saw it throught his window in Victor's Village.

"Jasko?" He instantly turned around, fixing his air in the process. This party was for him, so he might as well look his best.

The lovely voice belonged to a girl, about Jasko's age, dressed in a beautiful blue ball gown. "Do you remember who I am?"

Jasko had no idea. He had met a lot of people in the past few days, but he couldn't say that she stood out in any way. But Jasko, being the gentleman that he was, couldn't disappoint a lady. He refused to break a girl's heart, no matter what happened. He would have enough time for that once the Games arrived. He might have been raised as the fisher's boy, but it was important to keep his manners.

"Yes, of course." He smiled. The trick was to not look her in the eyes that much. If he looked at her that much in the eye, she could be able to notice that he was lying. And then, it could become a mess. Frankly, Jasko hated a mess that wasn't necessary.

"I... I have something to tell you. It was something that I heard, from a friend, but I suppose it would only be fititng to let you know of what happened, right?" Jasko was starting to get nervous, so he kept his hands behind his back. Hopefully, it would calm him down.

"What is it?" He noticed the necklace on her chest. Luena. Right.

"I heard that you weren't the Academy's first choice. They were planning in choosing Kol Kalamar to volunteer, but then they decided on you. Tiena was their first choice, though." Jasko started to sweat.

Show no weakness. No weakness.

He kept the smile on his face, almost as a clue to Luena, to let her know that she would never be able to break him. "Well, then I suppose that I'll have a chance to show them that they made the right choice, won't I?" The girl smiled. Jasko smiled, because his plan had worked. He had quickly turned the situation to his favor, like he always had.

Jasko was quite proud of himself, to be honest. He had never done it so quickly and in such an efficient way too. Who knows how good he would get once the Games started.

Work, he thought. If he worked hard enough, he would get what he wanted. Work would get him far, like it always had. But first, he had to go throught tomorrow.

Jasko knew that it would be alright. All he had to do was volunteer. He already knew Tiena, he already knew what she was capable of, so why was he worried?

Think. Think. If he thought about it enough, he would be able to figure out.

Oh.

It was because he didn't knew everything that there was to know about Tiena. If he knew, he could be at peace. His plan could all work out. So, Jasko fixed his hair and walked over to where Tiena was dancing with the boring thing that she called a boyfriend. He punched the boy lightly on the shoulder.

"You mind if I steal her for a while, buddy?" The boy looked at him, up and down. He only nodded after a few seconds.

"Be careful with your hands, Quinn. Or with will be the last time you have hands" Jasko's manners mattered a lot to win, because they could get him far. But that didn't stop him from wanting to punch Damian on the face, right there.

But instead, he pulled Tiena closer and started the dancing move. He didn't care about dancing, he cared about getting to know more about Tiena. All of that could help him in the future.

"You do look lovely tonight, sweetheart." And she did. Stunning.

"So do you." She wasn't a woman of much words, then. Jasko liked it, he liked people than were more about work than about words. At the end of the day, he was a fisher's boy, and he learned everything that he knew with his family. Jasko could appreciate that, he could appreciate what humble had to offer more than the ones with only the vacant words and fake smiles.

"So, Tiena, tomorrow is the reaping. We're going to celebrate down at the docks, since you know, it might be the last time we are here, in our lovely District."

"Jasko, I... I don't know. Damian and I..we had plans.." She was so adorable like that. Perfect.

"Oh, please, you already told me no last time, Tiena. At least, do this for me? It will be fun. You can even bring your boy toy. Okay?"

It took a few seconds for her to answer. "Okay."

* * *

 **Alexa Cadwell; 18 years old.**

 **District One Female.**

* * *

"Thank you for all the help, Alexa."

Alexa could still hear the party going on, outside the Academy. She couldn't blame them, though. All of them were teenagers, and it wasn't every day that they had a party like the one before the reaping.

It was beautiful, it was fresh. Everything that people in District One could want. It was a party meant for her too, after all. For her and Aidan. Alexa hadn't decided how she felt about Aidan just yet. He was too confident, but still, there was a part of him that was exactly like Alexa. She saw it this morning, when Aidan's siblings got to the party.

There was a moment in there when his mask finally fell, and Alexa was able to see who the real Aidan was, for a moment. And that's when she understood that he was just like her, maybe even better. He was already playing the Game and boy, wasn't he good at it.

"You sure you don't want to join them? It seems like a pretty good party. And it's in your honor, after all." Sage stated, a playful smirk on his face. Sage was one of the people that Alexa was closest to in the Academy. No, not closest to. He was one of the people that Alexa trusted the most, one that she knew would never even come close to stab her in the back.

If she could hang out with people she could trust, it would be one step closer to Victory. That would make sure that she would never be stabbed in the back, and that nothing would stand in her way to Victory.

"Absolutely," She smiled, and kissed Sage's cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow." Alexa said. The big day. With that, she left. Outside, it was much louder than what Alexa was expecting. She could probably give a name to everyone around here if she focused a bit, but she didn't care.

Alexa always liked to keep it like that. She was a quiet girl, but that also helped because people never knew what to expect from her. She was the wild card, and Alexa loved it. No matter what she did, people would always be suprised. In here, it might not have been a very good thing. People in District One didn't love the quiet teenagers as much as the louder ones, like the ones that were partying right next to her.

But in the Games, it would be different. In there, not even her allies would know what to expect from her and maybe, if she didn't to stab them in the back, they wouldn't even fight back against her. Of course, she had to make friends. People wouldn't get anywhere in life if they didn't have someone to watch their back while they were at it.

But unlike her fellow district partner, Alexa could say that she was herself all along. That she stayed true to herself, and never had to fake anything to get to the Games. True, she might be quiet, but she got her hands on her axe, she changed completly.

Alexa might be having a very bad day, but when gets her hands on her axe, everything changes. It's like she turns into someone completly different from herself, someone willing to do anything to get what she wanted. Sage told her once that maybe, once she got her hands on a axe, she turned into a better person.

Someone braver. Stronger. Someone that could face everything that the Games would throw at her without flinching. No, maybe not like that. Alexa wanted to keep the part of her that was still human, no matter how much it could cost her.

She would remain human, no matter what, but she would also be a human that did everything that needed to be done. Without thinking about what it would mean for other people.

"Alexa? Is that you?" Alexa turned around to see Aidan, who was obviously very drunk, with a girl on his arm.

"Hey Aidan." Honestly, she was in a rush. But what would be the arm? After tomorrow, she would spend every day with this boy by her side. They would train together, they would eat together, fight together and most of all, they would fight the other Careers together. Alexa knew that it could be good if she had someone on her side, someone to fight it with if the Careers ever tried to split up.

But like hell she would give up her life for him. If there was something that mattered the most to Alexa, it was her life. She would gladly do anything to protect her life and if it meant that she would have to throw this boy in front of a moving train, then so be it.

He would be the one to stand in her way. "This is my girl, Idaline." The girl smiled to Alexa but it was more than clear that she was way more drunk than Aidan was. Ah. Clearly, Alexa could see who had the balls in that relationship.

"Pleasure to meet you," Alexa said, shaking her hand. "You know who I am, of course." She belonged in District One. The District One girls were known for their confidence and in that side, Alexa didn't like to stay behind.

She was confident. And she could use that in her favor.

"Alexa Cadwell," Idaline said. "The girl who'll be volunteering with my man. Gotta make you promise that you'll take care good care of him."

Alexa laughed. Aidan laughed. Even Idaline laughed. It would be a suprise if they didn't end up killing each other, or even if one of them made it home alive. She would never have the chance of taking care of Aidan, even if she wanted to.

It was a pity that she had no interest in doing it.

But still, she laughed. "Absolutely. You have nothing to worry about." Alexa could only imagine the suprise on the girl's face if she ever got to kill Aidan.

But right now, she had other things to worry about. Like winning.

So when Aidan offered her a beer, Alexa couldn't refuse it. It was home, after all, and she was determined to enjoy her last moments at home. As a regular girl.

It would be different when she came back as a Victor.

* * *

 **A/N:** 4 more of these lovely tributes! Make sure you check out the fanart that my lovely friend Jalen did! They are all on my profile!

Thank you for all the support so far, I really do appreciate it.

Let me know what you thought and I'll see you soon!


	6. Wake Me Up

**Chapter Six.**

 **Reapings Part One.**

* * *

 **Leila Rorie; 17 years old.**

 **District Ten Female.**

* * *

If this could be considered true happiness, then Leila didn't want anything else in her life. It was a beautiful day in Ten, the sun shining brightly, which didn't happen for most of the year.

But most of all, Leila felt free. Here she was, going to a reaping that could possibly mean her death, but who cared? Right now, she was here and she was free from having to listen to her parents complaining about what she had to do, or what she had to use for the reapings to make her look like the perfect Rorie child.

 _Well, suck it up, mom and dad._

Right now, she was only Leila. And right now, she had her favorite person in the world right here, next to her. Sadie, almost passing out from how much she drank last night, struggled to keep up with Leila on her high heels. "Hey, would you mind going a little bit slower, please? Some of us are still sleeping."

Leila laughed, and hooked her arm under Sadie's. "Well, you weren't so slow last night, were you? In fact, I think you even ran to drag me to your bed." Leila wasn't stupid. She knew about Sadie's feelings for her, and sometimes it was good to stop ignoring it and let it all in. If there was one thing that Leila couldn't honestly live without, it was being around someone else.

When she was around someone else, like Sadie, she could truly be herself. Happy and without a care in the world, that was who she wanted to be.

That's who she had to be. But sometimes, she had to stop fighting all the other emotions, because they were also a part of life. Anger, sadness, they were a part of her. Leila refused to let them show whenever she was around someone else, because that would completly ruin her.

It would ruin her, and it would ruin her friends. The people that she fought so hard to keep, because in the end, she didn't have anyone else. She only had them, and herself, so why should she let something as ordinary as emotions ruin the life that she had build up for herself?

Never.

Leila stopped, right in front of Sadie, not allowing the other girl to move foward. She leaned closer, so she could whisper in Sadie's ear. "But that's okay, babe, you know I love you. The sex is great too, so why should I complain?"

She winked, and brushed her lips softly with Sadie's. Leila wasn't a fool. She knew that to get what she wanted, some tricks were needed. And right now, she wanted Sadie, so a little tricks to keep the girl on her side would never be too much.

Leila would never admit it, not even if she was being tortured by her worst enemy, but she loved this girl too much to ever let her go. Other people might see her as crude and arrogant, but at the end of the day, she was just someone that hated being alone.

She did everything to keep the people she loved by her side. There weren't many already. Her parents didn't gave a fuck about her, but it's not like Leila cared about it anymore. She had gotten over them, because like Sadie said, why should she spent the first of her life being hurt by someone that didn't dedicate a minute of their time to think about her?

To wonder if she's okay?

 _Well, fuck that. And fuck them._

This was her day, and no one, not even them or the Capitol could ruin what was about to become a perfectly happy day.

When they finally reached the square, and signed in, Leila couldn't help it but to repress an yawn. This whole thing was so boring. The Mayor, with her doll face and fancy dresses, the Treaty of Treason that no on gave a fuck about, and finally the Escort appeared on stage.

She's was always considered a dull woman, that had the habit of dressing in a different color each year. This year, she had chosen yellow.

Great, just something else to add to the list of things that I hate about her.

"Welcome, welcome, District Ten!" Her smile, that never reached her eyes, was starting to make Leila want to vomit. And after such a good night, she thought that there weren't many things that could even begin to do it.

Right next to her, Sadie looked like she was about to do the same. She knew about her friend's hatred for the Games, even if it was something that she wouldn't tell Leila in the middle of the street. It was whispered in the middle of the night, between rushed kisses, when both of them couldn't sleep.

Leila agreed, in some kind of way. But honestly, she had never given a fuck about it. But she liked supporting Sadie in that.

Behind the escort, the dull old video started to play. It wasn't anything that even came close to being interesing. Leila supposed that it was just something they showed to keep all teenagers in the their place, to remind them that if they became rebels, there would be a price to pay.

Leila didn't care. She wasn't planning on becoming a rebel anytime soon. Yes, she supported it in a way, but why would some be willing to give up their life in order to make a better older fo the children of people that they didn't even knew?

Leila loved to be alive. She loved the little things about it, like the way this day was so beautiful, or how Sadie always whispered that she loved her right before she fell asleep. She wasn't about to give that up for someone else. Never.

"And now, for the females!" Leila only had to time to hold on tightly to Sadie's hand, before the escort called out a name. "Leila Rorie!"

 _Well, fuck you._

There must have been some kind of really fucked up God in this world. To take her away from this, from her family.

 _Not me, no, I can't go._

All she wanted to do was run far away. Kick something. Or someone, for that matter. But she couldn't do anything like that.

Because, if she did, her friends and Sadie would pay the price for it. Even her parents, that they gave a fuck about her, didn't deserve being punished because she couldn't handle something that life throwed at her.

No. Her life was worth too much for her. She would fight for it, no matter what.

She was Leila Rorie, and she was a survivor.

* * *

 **Preston Hewitt; 17 years old.**

 **District Six Male.**

* * *

It was a tradition. Every reaping day, the Hewitt family walked together to the square. No matter what happened between them during the rest of the year, this tradition couldn't be broken.

They were a family and in District Six, a family stood together in the reaping way. It was their own way of telling the Capitol to fuck off, showing them that not even a reaping could tear a family apart.

Eliza, Preston's mother, stayed behind to take care of the house while Preston and his younger siblings, Delilah and Rex, walked ahead.

Delilah and Rex walked next to Preston, holding hands, neither of them wanting to go either too fast or too slow. Preston, well, he didn't have much to do rather than to watch everyone that passed throught them. Some of them he knew, some of them he didn't. Either way, everyone seemed to be closer on reaping day.

Instead of driving them away from each other, it brought them together. Preston's siblings, for example. They weren't even close, but right now, they stood together. United, as one. Preston wondered if that made him the black sheep of the family.

It probably did. It was a good thing that he couldn't care less about what other people thought of it, then. Like he could read Preston's mind, Rex turned to his older brother, holding out one hand.

"You should be with us, Preston." He said, looking hopeful that for once, Preston would do as he said.

"Yeah, because I'm a fucking five year old." Okay, maybe he shouldn't have been that rude. But it was just who he was, and Preston wasn't about to change who he was because of someone else's opinion. Not even his siblings mattered that much that he would change his personality for them.

But still, the little brats had a big spot on his heart. Whoever tried to mess with them, would have a proper introduction to Preston's fists. No matter who.

Still, he ruffled Rex's hair. Family sucked, but it was still family. "So, when the reaping ends, I'll take you out to a little party that some friends of mine are having." He gestured to Delilah, who was chatting with their mother. "Both of you."

Preston turned back to Rex, and winked. "Maybe I can even introduce you to some hot girls over there."

Delilah gasped, looking quite shocked. "Preston! He's still ten!" His little sister was such an annoying brat.

"Oh, stop being such a drama queen, will you? At ten, I was already drinking and taking girls to my-"

"That's enough, Preston. Your brother doesn't need to hear about all of your adventures." Maybe he didn't really have to, but Preston felt good about telling that kind of stuff to his younger siblings. Well, not only that kind of stuff, but Preston didn't want them to grow up like he did.

Without knowing about anything. Preston had been the type of learn as he grew, But he didn't want the same thing to happen to his siblings. They were little brats, yes, and could sometimes annoy the hell out of him, but they were still his family.

And Preston wanted the best for both of them, and he knew, that if his father was still here, then he would have wanted the same.

"Yes ma'am. I'm sure his toys are much more interesting than my little old adventures." That earned a chuckle from each of siblings. Yes, little ol' Preston might be annoying sometimes, but he still knew how to make his siblings laugh.

It was all he had sometimes, the memory of their laughs. In this fucked up world, something as precious as that should be protected, right? Preston would fight until the end, throw his bombs and blowns, if it meant his siblings were protected.

Happy. Alive. Maybe not so safe as they thought, but at least, they had hopes for the future. Preston, well, he didn't have much hope for his future anymore. Maybe get a nicer job.

Work. Work. Work. Work.

But at least, he could happily work if it meant that his siblings would have their best chance once they were free from the reapings. He saw other people, special and smart ones, leaving and finding a nice job in the Capitol. That was all he wanted for his siblings. Rex was the smartest kid that he knew. Delilah was close.

And if he had to work his way to an early grave, but they would be alive, then so be it. But right now, he might as well enjoy it. Preston pulled both of them close and whispered, so his mother wouldn't hear.

"After the reaping, I'll take you both to the candy shop and you guys can pick whatever you want. If you don't tell mom, that is. Deal?"

"Deal!" They both whispered. The Hewitt family walked to the square in silence, Preston making occasional jokes to Rex and Delilah, hoping to make them laugh. When they reached the square, Preston hughed both of siblings. Rex was still safe, he still had two years until he had to eligible for reapings, but Delilah was fifteen.

She could be reaped.

Once he checked in, Preston found his spot next to his best friend, Dally Oliver. He might be a little bit stupid, but he was loyal, and Preston loved loyal people.

"What's up, dickhead?" He punched him on the arm, but Dally just laughed. He already knew his best friend.

"The sky is up, fuckface. Now pay attention to the reaping, or the Peacekeepers will come and give you a nice beating. Not that you didn't deserve it." Preston smiled. This was his best friend.

The reaping started without any furter comment. It was always the same thing. The mayor, the treaty, the video.

Once the girl was reaped, Preston didn't pay much attention to it, other than she was pretty hot and looked pretty strong. Nice. Ryella, he learned a few seconds later, was her name.

It was when the escort reaped the male that Preston started paying attention. "Preston Hewitt!"

Well, shit. It was only a few seconds later that Preston realized what he had to do. He was Preston Hewitt, and he wasn't about to go gentle on anyone. He turned to Dally, and gave him a firm handshake. Something that could help him know how much he meant to Preston.

He didn't dared to look behind, though. If he looked behind, he would his mother and Rex, and it would all be lost. He had to be strong. For them. Once he reached the stage, the escort gave him a warm hug.

"Tell us a little bit more about yourself, darling. Such a handsome boy! Must have a lot to tell us about yourself!"

Oh, yes, yes he did. "I'm so thrilled that I got reaped. I mean, this is probably the best thing that's ever happened to me - even more than when my house got knocked down by a tornado. I'm just so excited to be doing this!"

A few people on the square chuckled. They knew him. And they knew that Preston Hewitt wasn't about to go soft, either.

* * *

 **Sedna Orwell; 18 years old.**

 **District Seven Female.**

* * *

"Hey, earth to Sedna, is anyone there?"

A small smile painted itself into Sedna's face before she answered. "Just because I don't answer, dear Calla, it doesn't mean that I am deaf." Sedna burried her axe on the ground, and gestured for Calla to do the same. Today wasn't a day for work, today was a day to have fun.

Around them, people were busy whispering between each other, and some of them were still working. That was the thing about District Seven during reaping day. Yes, it might have been reaping day, but they still had to work. They had to feed on the rest of the year, but some of them still used the the reaping day as an excuse to skip school or work.

Just like Sedna was about to do right now. In fact, she didn't even plan to make it home today, after the reapings. Today was all about being a teenager, and no one could take that away from her.

Not even her beloved big brother.

"Thane. I didn't realize you would be were today. I thought mom and dad had excused you from working today. After all, it's reaping day. And you're their favorite child." Thane cracked one of his cheeky smiles from ear to ear, that could possibly make every girl's heart melt just by looking at him.

Damn, Sedna would want him for herself. If he wasn't her brother, that is. Apparently, incest isn't very liked around District Seven. "Don't you have a reaping to be in, baby sister?"

That was the thing that Sedna loved about Thane, with him, she could be herself. Perhaps, they were so alike that they always understood each other. But still, it didn't stopped them from playing with each other like this, from time to time.

"Why? Did our parents sent you to see if I even bothered to attent the reaping? Oh wait. They couldn't care less." Sedna cracked a laugh, and Calla did the same. Okay, maybe there was a time where this could have bothered her. But Sedna, sadly, just didn't give a fuck about that anymore.

They didn't care about her? Good for them. Yes, she might have been the middle child, but that didn't make any less special than her beloved siblings.

But when they didn't care, it was good for Sedna. This way, she was free. Less expectations meant less disappointments with less responsibilities. Well, maybe she was even the lucky one.

She didn't have to get married to someone that she didn't care about, only to make her family richer. She didn't have to pretend to be a lady, and be stuck at home without having anything interesting to do. Hell, she was eighteen years old. She is supposed to be having fun and eating chocolate and kissing the wrong boy.

Not to be worrying about stuff as boring as this. So Sedna, being Sedna, and kept it all inside. One day, she was going to break. But sure as hell that she wasn't going to let something as this ruin what could been a fun day.

Maybe. If the luck was on her side.

Thane brought her in for a quick hug. "Good luck out there, little sister. Don't let yourself get reaped. You know this District would be twice as boring without you."

Sedna smiled. These were the moments that made ever exciting. Good. "I would tell you the same, big brother, but you already got your ass kicked out of the reapings. Just a shame. Not even the Capitol likes you enough to keep you around for a little longer."

"Look after yourself, big bro." Thane waved his axe, in sign of goodbye. It was a tradition in District Seven. As a sign of goodbye. The thought almost brought tears to Sedna's eyes, but she ignored it. She couldn't play the weak role.

"Same, twerp." Sedna stood there for a while, watching her brother leave. No, she couldn't break. Not right now. There was a long time before, when Sedna just wanted to be loved. Had she tried to change for someone else?

Nah. Honestly, she was just way too lazy to ever do that. She was who she was, and there was no one that would ever have the strenght to change who she was. Yes, a part of Sedna might have wanted acceptance, but she refused to change for anyone else.

I am who I am, and there's no one that will ever have the strenght to change that.

When she just wanted to have someone to care about her, and Thane was the first person to ever give her that love.

She couldn't disappoint him. The walk to the reapings was a quiet one. Calla seemed to be lost in the thought of the party that she was going to attend after the reapings, at the mayor's house. Calla was more than crazy to let the point into her pants, and Sedna knew it.

But that mean that she had to hear every fucking detail about it.

It was stupid. And so was the idea of reaping a little kid first. Fine, like their escort said, it was tradition to always reap the male first. But did he deserve it? Nah, man, he didn't. Sedna could hear little Hex's family crying as the boy marched to the stage, and almost certantly to his death.

It wasn't fair. At least, they could send someone that would have a fair shot at representing District Seven. Someone that would have a fair shot at defending himself, most of all.

Not a fucking little kid. He sure as hell did not deserve that.

"Sedna Orwell!"

Well, fuck the universe and fuck all the odds too. When Sedna made her way to the stage, she realized something. For the first time in her life, she wanted to fight. Whatever happened, happened. She couldn't think of bad stuff right now, she had to think of the future.

For the first time in her, Sedna wanted to live. She realized that she loved her family, her life, too much to ever let it go.

And if she wanted to live, she would have to fight.

She was going to give them an hell of a fight.

* * *

 **Coulter Xenophon; 16 years old.**

 **District Ten Male.**

* * *

Coulter wished that he could stay like this for the rest of his life. Peaceful. Quiet. Safe. He wished that he didn't have to go out and face the world.

But it was life, and Coulter knew that he couldn't always have everything that he wanted. He looked around the barn, making sure that everything was in order. He wanted to leave all of his affairs in order, in case something happened to him.

 _No, n-no, I-I can't think like that._

Coulter hated to talk, but strangely, he was someone that didn't want to leave anything unsaid, in case anything happened to him. In case he was reaped. Maybe, just maybe, Tanner was right. Maybe there was still some of his old personality left inside of him. He just needed to have the strenght to find it.

Right when he was about to leave, Jetta squealed. He couldn't leave her like that, could he! His best friend, his horse, that was it him since he was six years old, still a young lad who didn't know anything about life.

 _It's also her fault that my life was destroyed..._

No, no. Coulter refused to think like that. If anything, Jetta was the reminder of his old life and of everything he used to have. The reminder of lazy afternoons, with Tanner and Shilah by his side, riding their horses throught all of District Ten.

Whatever happened, it was Coulter's fault. It was his fault that it had happened in the first place, and it was also his fault that he couldn't deal with it right now.

One thing at a time. Right now, he had to get throught the reapings. He could deal with the rest later, with Jetta, right here, without anyone bothering them. Almost tearing up, Coulter kissed the top of her head, and with a deep breath, walked outside where Tanner was waiting for him. They started walking to the square, without talking. Coulter prefered it like this, when he was able to enjoy the company of his brother without words.

When they were almost getting to the square, Tanner turned to him, a hopeful smile on his face.

Coulter smiled at him, hoping that it would be enough. But Tanner, being Tanner, had to do something about it. "Oh, c'mon lad! It's reaping day! You'll be seventeen on a week! Why am I not seeing a smile on that cheeky face of yours?"

Probably because he didn't have any reasons to smile? Coulter wanted to, but in the end, he just couldn't. His brother, strong and brave, just like Coulter used to be, refused to let it go.

He refused to let Coulter be who he truly was. No one. And maybe today, for the first time in his life since it happened, Coulter was happy about that. "I-It's reaping day. Not too many reasons to be happy, bro."

Tanner laughed out loud. "There are plenty of them! You're a young lad, Coulter! And besides, this reaping doesn't mean a single thing. They're picking two people, Coulter. Two! I mean, what are the odds?"

Bad. In Coulter's case, his odds were probably awful. "Bad. I could be reaped and be dead and not even make it to my seventeen birthday. Life sucks, bro."

Moments like this were the only thing that gave Coulter hope. Hope of getting his old self back. Tanner thought that the old Coulter was still somewhere in there, and would one day make his way back home. The old Coulter, the one who wasn't afraid to make a joke at the wrong time or to court a girl to win her love.

Tanner wrapped him in a big hug. "You think I would ever let them take my little brother from me? No way. I'm not out of nicknames for you just yet, dickface."

"Thanks, asshole. I really n-needed to h-hear that." If Tanner was someone else, Coulter would never have the courage to tell that to them. But this was Tanner, and his brother was the only one who understood. The only one who believed that there was hope for the old Coulter to come back.

Once they reached the square, someone bumped into Tanner. Coulter tried to smiled when he saw who it was, but his brother didn't seem so happy.

Coulter had tried to tell Tanner that it could have happened with anyone else, that it wasn't Shilah's fault, but he didn't listen. Of course he didn't. He was too protective of his little brother to listen.

Coulter only talked to Shilah a few times, but it was awkward. What they once had as a friendship was destroyed that night, and like Coulter's old personality, it might never come back.

"Watch it, idiot." And before Shilah could say anything at all, Tanner dragged Coulter to register for the reapings. It was a process that Coulter didn't really like, but still, it was necessary. Even in that, Tanner was lucky. He was nineteen, and didn't have to face any of this.

He was safe for the rest of this live. Coulter? Probably not that much. He just hoped that some God would be on his side today, and nothing bad would happen. Coulter wasn't sure of how he could deal with it, if it happened.

Once the reaping started, it all went by so quickly. They reaped the girl, Leila Rorie, and by then couldn't help but wonder if everything would be alright. If Tanner was right in the end.

It was just another reaping, after all. He would be done soon, and would be home with Jetta by his side before the day ended. He would be seventeen in a week, and everything would be alright.

But he was just a boy. In the fact, they were just children. No one in there deserved that, including Leila who was already on the stage, doing her best to look strong enough.

No deserved to be sent to their death.

"Coulter Xenophon! Come up, dear!"

Tanner would tell him to suck it up and act like a man. And he couldn't let his big brother down, could he?

* * *

 **A/N:** And we start the reapings! Let me know what you thought!


	7. Falling To Pieces

**Chapter Seven.**  
 **Reapings Part Two.**

* * *

 **Bastian Steppes; 17 years old.**  
 **District Eleven Male.**

* * *

Bastian thought that his week couldn't get any worse. But of course, due to his wonderful luck, he had to face the reapings. He wanted nothing more than to tell them all to fuck off, but for now, he had to behave. His mother had made him promise that he wouldn't get into anymore trouble before leaving the house, and he had done his best to say yes. After all, there isn't much that you won't do for a crippled person. In a place like District Eleven, everyone knew that crippled people didn't have a great chance of making it past the day.

They couldn't take the next day for granted, like many people did. Like they did. The kids from the richer districts, the Careers. That was one of the reasons why Bastian hated Careers so much. They got everything, a good family and a good life, but in the end, they still choosed to train and volunteer for a match where they could give it all away. Just like that. How sad would it be if smeone can and took everything away from them, just like that. Oh, and wouldn't Bastian love to be that person.

But for now, he had to face the reaping. People passed throught him, but most kept their heads down. If there was a good thing that the people from District Eleven had and the others didn't, it was the fact that they knew who to stay away from. They knew that his family wasn't exactly popular with the Peacekeepers, or with the Capitol, for that matter. Bastian himself had been arrested more than one time. For speaking up his mind. But in the end, he also knew his limits. There were people that could suffer for what he did, and even Bastian wasn't completly detached to that. His family had already suffered enough for one lifetime.

Every thing he did, he did it for them. Yes, he might be a bit annoying from time to time, but he would do anything for them. They were still the people that were worth living for. Worth fighting for. And because of that, Bastian would never give up while he could still walk.

His little sister, walking by his side with his best friend Pepper on the other, an optimistic smile on her face. He had tried to understand before, but he just couldn't. Bastian and Spring, so different and yet so alike. His sister, who looked on the bright side of everything and never did once thought that things could get worse, because for her, they would only get better. Still, one way or another, she was the happiest member of the Steppes family. Bastian would have killed to know how she did it.

"Are you excited, Bastian? It's almost your final reaping! After next year, you'll be free to make the most of your life. That's so amazing!" Spring gave him a little smile, tugging at his hand.

Yeah. Fan-fucking-tastic. He couldn't absolutely wait to be an oficial slave to the Capitol, forced to work for them for the rest of his life, and they would make sure that his children would suffer the same fate. What made him more angry than anything was the fact that he couldn't do shit about it. Bastian hated it when he couldn't be in control. It made him nervous, and whenever Bastian got nervous, he spoke whatever the fuck was on his mind.

And boy, didn't people love whatever Bastian thought.

"Yeah. I absolutely can't fucking wait. That is, if I don't die before that. Because you know, finding death in this place is as easy as finding someone to get laid with." He did love his sister, but he absolutely adored to joke with her like this. That didn't mean that he wouldn't beat up any boy that dared to even whisper her name. She wouldn't be ready, not until she was like twenty or something. Fine, maybe eighteen. Considering that he had get laid before he was eighteen, it would only be fair to give the same chance to his little sister.

He wasn't _that_ mean. "Language, Bastian. Your sister is only fourteen, bud." Pepper laughed. If it was someone else, Bastian would have told him to fuck off, since it was his own sister and he would figure out the right way to deal with her later. But it was Pepper, and he was Bastian's only friend and he knew that Spring hated conflict. And here, besides two of the three people that he cared about in the world, Bastian allowed himself to relax. Yes, they might be heading for the reapings, but so what?

Bastian would kill anyone that tried to ruin with. But like all good things, it must come to an end. Once they reached the square, the peaceful reality that Bastian could surely get used to quickly disappeared. That's why Bastian hated the Capitol. Why he hated the Games. Why he hated people like them. Because of them, all good things had to come to an end. Because of them, he couldn't keep anything that he truly enjoyed.

When the Plain Vanilla took his blood, Bastian didn't even look twice at her before leaving to his section in the back. Pepper was already there waiting for him, picking up a fight with another boy next to them, only to have the Peacekeepers break them apart. It wasn't worth it, at least, not in a day like this. Bastian could be many things, but if anything, he had respect for the poeple that were about to be sent of to their deaths. Which would most likely be black.

"And for the female, we have Amina Conlan! Come up, dear!" A dark skinned girl walked to the stage, walking quickly to the escort's side. _Brave girl_ , Bastian thought.

At least they would have someone decent to represent their district. Or so did he thought. "Bastian Steppes!"

"Oh, fuck you, Chalk Face."

Oh? They wanted him? Bastian guessed that he would have to introduce them to his fists. He didn't move. He stood still. If he wanted them, they would have to come at him. Once the first Peacekeeper came to him, Bastian punched him straight in the jaw. But of course, they were too many for him. As always. When they dragged him to the stage, Bastian kept fighting. Because that was like he wanted to be remembered. Like a fighter.

* * *

 **Amina Conlan; 17 years old.**  
 **District Eleven Female.**

* * *

Unlike many other girls in District Eleven, Amina was completly relaxed. After all, why wouldn't she? It was a beautiful day, the sun shining brightly, and the future had never looked so bright for her. What was a reaping, for someone like Amina, that had everything she could possibly want in life? Well, not much. There were thousands of girls that could be chosen at today's reaping. When she was a little girl, her parents had always told her that if she was a good girl and didn't do anything to upset the Capitol, then she wouldn't be reaped.

She would stay home, with her family and her friends, allowed to live the rest of her days in peace. And so she did. Until now, Amina Conlan had done nothing else than what people asked of her anduntil now, it had worked. She was safe from the reaping. One more year, and she would start living her life at its fullest. But that surely didn't mean that she couldn't have a bit of fun, from time to time. After all, what was life without a bit of fun? Boring. An endless boring history, that no one would care about in the end. And Amina couldn't let that happen.

She wanted to be remembered, as something good. Someone important, someone that did her best to help others and give them advice that would help them make a better future. But that didn't mean that her opinions were always absolutely nice, though. Whenever she thought of something or saw something bad, for that matter.

That was her life, and anyone that didn't like it, could go and mind their own business. Because right now, this was a good day. And no one in the right mind would dare to ruin Amina's good day. Amina looked around as she passed her family's plantation. It was reaping day, yes, but some people had to work today or they wouldn't have any food for the next wee. It was simple. Some worked, some ate. Amina only happened to have been born on the right side of District Eleven, unlike many other people.

"I'll be in the back, alright? When the reaping ends, we can go over to my house. My parents won't be there." They had been walking for a while now, mostly to enjoy the sun and the beautiful day, but also for each other's company. Gerrit was her fiancé, but like with every other good love story, there were people that didn't aprove of it. Her parents thought that she was too young for it, and her friends thought that she was probably being too trusting to offer herself to someone older, but Amina couldn't care less.

She loved him and he loved her. What else would she have to do to make them understand? Show up pregnant at their doorstep? She hoped not. Because in a month, she would turn eighteen and would finally be able to marry the love of her, without anyone getting in the way. "I won't hide from them, Gerrit. I'm not a street rat, like them. I'm going to be your wife and besides, you know they love me. What's the matter?" Finian passed throught them, a young girl in his arm. Probably another one night stand, but Amina being Amina, had to know if the rumors were true.

"Finian!" She called, and ran to his side, dragging Gerrit with her. "Can I have a minute with you?"

Her friend smiled. "Of course," He turned to the girl next to him. "Ran along, Merida, I'll catch up with you later, okay?" He winked, and the girl smiled and left. Finally. Now she could know the truth.

"You're with that girl? I mean, I have been hearing so much about the mysterious girl that stole Finian Calart's heart, and she ends up being some street rat from the fields? Constance and her little bitch group were right, after all." Finian blushed, but he seemed quite annoyed.

"Amina, I don't think that's really your bus-" What? She was being his friend, giving him some advice to stop him from turning his reputation to dust, and he was still being rude? Oh well. District Eleven might be a poor place, but like every other, there were people that couldn't mind their own business. Amina wasn't too proud to be included in that group, but well, it was better to be one of the people that talked rather than the one that people talked about.

Amina had build this life for herself, and she wasn't about to let anyone ruin it. "Well, just a little bit of advice from your oldest friend. Don't let people see you with her, if you don't want your life ruined. Good luck at the reaping, Finian."

Once Finian was out of sight, Gerrit turned to her. "Was that really necessary?"

"Of course it was," Amina said. "I coudn't let my best friend ruin his life because of some ugly thing, could I?"Gerrit could not agree with some things that she did, but Amina knew that he understood her. That's why she loved him, and he loved her back. Because they understood each other, and at the end of the day, they only had each other. And that was a bond that no one ever could truly break. Not even death.

And surely not a stupid little reaping. Amina had faced the reapings before, and she was still there. Alive, well, and happy. Not even the Capitol could take that away from her.

Once the reaping oficially started, and they were all in their rightful place, Amina couldn't help but notice that things didn't look so happy anymore. Thousands of District Eleven people, all quiet, waiting for the death setence that would be delivered to two of their children, that almost surely wouldn't make it back. Suddenly, Amina's day wasn't looking so bright anymore.

Her life was good. She had everything that she could possibly want, but now she was the female tribute.

 _No, not me. Why me?_

Right now, she had to focus. She had to push her emotions aside, and deal with them later. Right now, it was all about making a good impression. Because good impressions would get her far, and emotions wouldn't.

* * *

 **Blaine Parker; 17 years old.**  
 **District Three Male.**

* * *

Blaine was standing in front of his house, watching everything around him. It was almost like some kind of goodbye to the house that had been his home for six years. Blaine hated goodbyes, but still, he felt like this was necessary. In the world of Panem, they lived in a dangerous reality. One where their home could be taken from them at any minute, and they couldn't do anything to fight back. But still, Blaine admired his people and everything that they did to make sure that the reaping didn't get to them.

In the reaping day, people stood together. United as one. Because in the end, no matter how mad their loss was, they always had each other. And a place that they could truly call their home at the end of the day.

 _Bullshit._ The Capitol could come at any time and tear them apart, Blaine was sure of that. People just tried to make the world a better place than what it truly was and in the end, they were disappointed. Blaine might not have much, but he did that have that one good thing on his side. He didn't expect much from anyone, so he wasn't truly disappointed when they gave him nothing back. Life in the District Three was the same for every teenager when the reaping day arrived.

No matter who they were, or what they did, if their name was called at the reaping, they were complety fucked. Without a single chance of making it out of the bloodbath, that was how the rest of Panem saw the tributes of District Three. Yeah, maybe there were a few exceptions, like Beetee Latier, who had use the skills that he had picked up on his family's factory, and fried six tributes at once with his skills.

But that was him, and not everyone could be Beetee Latier. Most tributes were screwed as soon as their name was called at the reaping, and the people back home could do absolutely nothing to help them. They could cheer if they won, and cry when their body came back from the Capitol. Nothing else, nothing more.

The world was truly a filthy horror show. That was why Blaine prefered to keep a distance between the other people and himself. If he didn't look out for himself, then who would? No one. He had learned since he was a little boy that if you didn't have your own back, then no one would. He was happy when people allowed him to remain on his own. He could make a life from that, a life of his own, where no one would ever decide what he should or shouldn't do.

Well, fuck that.

Liting up a cigarette and taking one last look at the house, Blaine started to turn away. It was time to leave, time to face the beast that the Capitol was about unleash on them. He was about to leave, when someone called for him. Of course. Because Blaine Parker couldn't be allowed to smoke his swet cigarette and take a walk to the reapings alone, without someone getting in his way. Well, well, wasn't it his favorite person in the world?

"Blaine," Blaine couldn't help but be amused at the look on the man's face when he saw him with a cigarette. "You should get a coat, son, it will rain soon." He was a small man, afraid of everything. Even afraid of his own shadow. Blaine found it amusing at times, how easily he could scare Darol.

"Mind your own business, old man. When I'm cold, I'll get a fucking coat." Darol started at him for a moment, probably trying to find the right words to tell him off. But like always, he didn't found anything.

"Like I thought. I'm off to see who they deliver the death sentence to, so don't expect me home anytime soon. Who knows. Maybe I'll get reaped and put you out of the misery of having to live with me. See you, old man." He turned away, and joined the people making their way to the reaping on the road. Whatever. He wasn't sure if the man was his real dad, anyway.

They were many, and some already knew him. They knew better than to talk to him, because Blaine Parker was better on his own. His cigarettes were his bet friends, and the people around him were his enemies. Some still turned around whenever the smoke got to them and gave him dirty looks, but Blaine didn't care. This was his alive, and anyone that didn't like it might as well fuck off.

He would deal with it later, like he always did. Or maybe he wouldn't, and he would forget all about it over a bottle of whisky. Either way, that was a problem for later, and not for now. Now he had to face whatever the Capitol was going to throw at them. Somehwere down the road to the square, Quinn and Erin caught up with him. The later gave him an hard look. She hated when he and Quinn smoke, since it was apparently bad for their health. Yeah, who the hell cared about lungs in a place like District Three?

Blaine didn't, and cigarettes made him feel good, so he wasn't about to go on and stop smoking. Erin quickly snatched the cigarette from his mouth, and smirked while putting off. "Hey, that was my last good cigarette! You owe me one now."

Erin cocked an eyebrow. "It's bad for your health. Besides, look," She pointed at a few Peacekeeers near them. "If they catch you with one, you're good as dead, my friend."

"Well, if they catch me with one, I'll just say you gave them to me and screw your pretty girl reputation over. How does that sound?" Erin kicked him playful at the side, and Quinn followed her lead.

"Hey, no kicking my girl, man. Or I might have to kick your ass too."

Erin rolled her eyes. "Please. Like I couldn't handle myself, babe. Oh well," Erin sighed as she walked to a Peacekeeper, to let him take her blood. "I'll see you guys soon."

Quinn followed him to the boy's side, and right there, the reaping started. "Let's start with the girls!" Blaine had only one girl that he cared about. Erin was almost out, she needed to stay safe. Please, Please...

"Nerinea Aravis!" A pretty asian girl, with straight black hair, laughed it off and smiled, leisurely strolling to the stage. When there was the optimistic side of District Three, Nerinea was surely a part of it. Or she was complety mad. Or maybe, a little bit of both of them. Who knows.

"And now, let's pick a lovely young man to join Miss Aravis!" She smiled. Blaine could almost taste it. "Blaine Parker!" He wasn't too suprised when his name was called. Not really.

He was so dead. No, not yet. He wouldn't go down without a fight. He wouldn't give them what they wanted.

* * *

 **Amaryllis Carmellia; 16 years old.**

 **District Twelve Female.**

* * *

"Amy, what do you think will happen today?"

Amaryllis tried to stop herself from answering back. Always a smile, even when she wanted to do much more than that. Her smiles would get her somewhere that other things wouldn't. So, being herself, Amy smiled. "Well, two unfortunate teenagers will get reaped and we will wait for one of them to come back. And please, darling, Amaryllis will do the trick."

Paislee, one of Amaryllis' best friends, was lying down on Amy's bed, two dresses next to her. She was still having trouble picking one, but oh well, that was what Paislee was here for. Helping her pick which one suited her best for the reaping. "But you don't think it will be us, do you? Or Asher. Or my siblings."

That were five slips in thousands, for Amaryllis. If there was ever a chance as small as this one, it was the chance of being picked for the reaping. "Of course. I mean, we of the Merchant side have the smallest chances of anyone in District Twelve. If there's anyone that won't be reaped, it's us. Trust me, I know." Amaryllis would have loved to change that sentence to _If there's anyone that won't be reaped, it's me._

But right now, her job was to help her friend feel better, and if there was one thing that Amaryllis was truly good at, it was making people feel better. "So, which one do you think suits me better?" She picked up both dresses, trying to decide which one would make her gold locks look better.

"The blue, without a question. It goes with your eyes, and with your hair. But well, you have so many that it would probably take you a whole week to choose." Amaryllis sighed. Paislee was right. Unlike so many people in District Twelve, she had too much to pick from. Wait... That didn't mean that other people were like her. Seeing the look that her friend was giving to her dresses, Amy finally made a decision.

"You can have it." She throwed the red dress to Paislee, winking to her. "We both know that Asher has his eyes on you, and we don't want to disappoint our friend, do we?" Paislee looked like someone had told her that she was free from the reaping for the rest of her life.

"Yo-you mean it?" Amy had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. If she had it, why wouldn't she meant it? Everyone in District Twelve knew that Amaryllis Carmellia wasn't someone that was about to go and change her mind. When she decided something, it was done. No matter what, nothing could make her change her mind.

"Of course I do. Now go and change, we need to get to the square before the reapings start. Being late is bad for our image." _Mostly mine._

Paislee gave her a quick hug, and ran off to Amy's bathroom, the red dress in her hand. "Thank you, thank you, Amy!" Ugh. If Amy was to hang with her, that little habbit would have to go. Her name was Amaryllis, not Amy. _That feeling._ Amaryllis did anything for that feeling. In the humorous place that was District Twelve, Amaryllis was above all of them.

Just like she had done with her friend a few seconds ago, Amy fixed their lives. She gave them the purpose, and fixed it while they couldn't do anything on their own. In the dark that was District Twelve, Amaryllis liked to think of herself as the light. But still, it didn't hurt to have people on her side. A little kiss here, a dress there, and they would end up kissing her feet at the end of the day. People were so easy to manipulate. So easy to move around , like a toy.

District Twelve saw Amaryllis Carmellia as a saint. Their mouths would surely drop if they ever got to know the real her. But Amaryllis liked it that way. Image was everything, and image had gotten her where she was right now. But in the end, she would always choose herself and to save her own skin. She would murder to whole of District Twelve if it meant that she would get to keep her life. She mattered, and the others didn't. Simple as that.

As soon as Paislee came out, looking as happy as ever, Amy checked her hair one more time and they were ready to go. It was quite boring, having to kiss every single person goodbye before leaving for the reapings. It's not like she wasn't seeing them again, anyway. Just an hour, and she would be back into her home. The walk for the reaping went quicker than Amy thought. Some people saying hello, someone asking her if she thought they would be reaped, and others wishing her good luck. But in the end, all of them found their way back to her.

Amy grinned to herself. _The light of District Twelve, indeed._

As soon as they reached the square, Asher and Weylyn reached them. She winked at Asher, and in that second, Asher's eyes light up when he looked at Paislee. Amy knew that Asher was madly in love with her, and that Paislee was in love with Asher. Since the boy would do anything for her, it wasn't that much of a trouble to join the two of them together. A little kiss there and here, and Asher would do what she wanted and stay with Paislee. Amy was truly proud of herself. Her parents, her family, her friends. She kept them all together, all by her side, no matter who she had to manipulate to do it.

This was her life, and no one was going to take it way from her. "Ohhh, guys. Good luck!" Amy brought them all together for a group hug and smirked when they left, each one to their side.

Oh, yes, this was the life.

Once the mayor finished his speech, and the escort walked in, Amy took one good look at Asher, at her friends. They all need to be safe. yes, she believed they would be safe. "For the girls! Amaryllis Carmellia!" The square was silent. For a moment, Amy was quiet, waiting for the chosen girl to take her place on the stage. But then she realized it. It was her.

And then, for the first time in her life, Amaryllis Carmellia broke. She could only notice the tears streaming down her face, be-because it couldn't be her, right? She had done it all, she was good, she had a life ahead of her, she was a good girl. What did she do to deserve this? Nothing. "NO, IT CAN'T BE ME! I did nothing wrong, pl-please!" The peacekeepers came for her. No, this couldn't be it. Amaryllis Carmellia wouldn't end like this. Without thinking, she made her away past the other girls, pushing and punching her way out. _C'mon... please. Just a little more._

She was about to get to the lower square, to her friends and family, when they grabbed her. Amaryllis fought, kicking and punching her way out, and even managed to bite one. District Twelve was shocked. Their saint had finally broke. It was only on stage that Amaryllis realized it. This wouldn't be the last they would see of her. She was Amaryllis Carmellia, and hell she would make it back. No matter what.

* * *

 **A/N:** The reapings are done! So close to the Capitol! xD Let me know!


	8. Remember Me

**Chapter Eight.**  
 **Goodbyes Part One.**

* * *

 **Sadie Ariste; 18 years old.**  
 **District Two Female.**

* * *

Sadie was counting the seconds until she had to leave. Blah about this, blah about that. All words that didn't matter a single bit to Sadie, and certantly would't help her when the time came. Not that she needed anyone's help for that matter, though. She had trained, she had survived everything that the Academy had throwed at her, and now she was ready. She was Sadie Ariste, and she would survive. No matter what.

Her father had already come and said goodbye, a few minutes after the Peacekeepers brought her into the room. He was quiet, but Sadie appreciated it. He knew what she had to do, and he knew that she would be back soon enough. No words were necessary in that case, because they were family. Unlike mother dearest who wouldn't shut up about her new job, her father knew that she had what it took to win the Games. For years, he had been the only that trusted in her. That believed in her, and that gave her everything she needed to prepare for the Games.

It was because of him that she had gotten this far in the first place. Sadie might be many things, but she knew how to recognize when someone did something for her.

Finally, her mother stood up, shaking her head, probably realizing that Sadie hadn't been listening to a single word that she said. "Did you even listen to a word of what I just said, Sadie?" No, she really didn't. The look on her mother's face made her want to push her harder, not make her hurt more. Between Sadie and her mother, it was always a contest to see who pushed harder. To see which one was the first to break the other's strings, and make them fall apart. Sadie refused to be the one to fall apart. She had more in her life than the foolish woman that gave birth to her, and refused to believe that her future didn't have bright things in it.

"No, mother, I didn't listen to a fucking word of what you just said. Excuse me if I was much interested in thinking that I'll be in the Capitol in the few hours, preparing to make my future much more brighter." She watched as her mother's face fell, and she struggled for words. _Good,_ she thought. _That means I won again._

Sadie didn't regret what she had done. Yes, it had taken a lot of effort, but it was surely worth it. Using wise words and a little trickery, she managed to make the fool woman believe that Sadie's father was cheating on her. Yes, it was hard and the effort of having to watch them fight had almost made her die of boredom, but it was worth it. She had built this life for herself, and with her father and sister, they were happy. Maybe it was the fact that the three of them were so alike, but Sadie didn't care. This vile woman didn't belong in her family and until she was out of it, Sadie didn't rest.

That was the thing about Sadie, and how different she was from her mother. Her mother got everything she wanted, without having to do absolutely nothing for it. Sadie, however, had to fight for things, and had to fight to get where she was now. Manipulate people, trick them, she didn't care. It got her where she was now, and she didn't regret it. It would get her to the Games, the place where Sadie truly belonged.

"You really don't sound like my daughter. Or look like her, for that matter." Her mother pointed to the black shirt that Sadie was wearing. Yeah, it might reveal a bit too much, but who cared? She was here to show what she was made of, and for all she knew, her stylist in the Capitol could be already planning to have her naked in the chariots. She was just starting their job.

"Well, maybe I was like this for a long time. Maybe you didn't really knew who I was, mother?" Her mother just shrugged. It was always like this. Sadie had the better points, and she always ended up winning. No matter what.

"You know what happens if you lose. Make sure you don't disappoint me again, there has been enough of that."

 _Oh God, if you knew how much I hate you._ She made Sadie's blood boil, made her so angry that Sadie felt like snapping her neck right there. Who could anyone hate someone so much, even a member of their own family? Sadie had no idea. "I'm proud of myself, mother. Self-esteem is a very important these days. You should be proud that I don't go around opening my legs to-"

"Enough, Sadie. I'll see you in a few weeks and if I don't, well, there won't be many people that will miss you." With that, she left, closing the door behind her.

 _Bitch._

That was why Sadie didn't let people get close to her. People were evil, and in the end, they ended up hurting everyone around them, even the ones that claimed they loved. Sadie didn't want to be liked by anyone, everything she did was for herself, and to hell with anyone that didn't like it. A few seconds later, Justice walked in, wearing a dress that showed more than Sadie would ever want to see from her best friend.

"What's up, bitch?" Sadie felt her body relax. Now, she could be whoever she wanted to be. Now, she could focus on what she had ahead of her, without having someone bothering her with every passing second.

"Oh, you know. Visiting the most useless idiot that District Two has ever seen, who actually did go with it and volunteer."

"Of course I did," Sadie said. "My district partner is useless. I'm me. Why wouldn't I volunteer in the first place? I'll be back soon. Just keep remembering everyone that we owe the place. Not like they'll start to think that just because I'm gone, they can start taking charge."

"Yes, boss. Don't think you owe me, though." Sadie laughed.

"I wouldn't dream of it." This was her time and her place, and no one was taking it way from her. No matter what.

* * *

 **Tyson Moretta; 18 years old.**  
 **District Twelve Male.**

* * *

Tyson waited.

When the Peacekeepers brought him into the room, Tyson sat down in the nearest couch. Waiting, second after second, preparing himself for when they came. Thinking of what he would say, preparing a reaction if his mother started to cry. They would be expecting a reaction for him, like always. Whatever he did, it would surely reflect in his family's actions. If he cried, they would surely cry. But if he remained strong, at least for now, maybe there was a chance that they would do the same.

They were like a pack. They were the followers and Tyson, without any choice in the matter, was chosen to become the leader. Yeah, right. People looked at him for advice that he couldn't give, because true to be told, he was an absolutely awful leader. He was just a teenage boy, trying to survive in an awful world and an even worse district, and yet they looked at him for advice. Asked him what they should, when he had never asked for any of this. People followed him.

Tyson hated it. But most of all, he hated himself because they deserved someone. The people of District Twelve deserved someone to lead them, someone that had the right words to say when they needed help. He was just a boy from the Seam, and yet, people followed him. He would never know why.

When the door opened and the Peacekeepers rushed his family in, Tyson stood up. He looked at them, his parents and older siblings clinging to each other for support and for a second, he almost forgot the idea of being strong. This was his family and hell, he could give everything he had just to have another minute with them. Another day. Another year. When he saw how close his mother was to tears, and how his older brother tried to support her, Tyson decided what he needed to do.

"Guys, it's okay. I'm fine, all in one piece. No need to cry, okay?" He smiled, but kept his hands hidden behind his back, hoping that none of them would be able to see it. Hoping that his smile seem real enough.

Just like he expected, they calmed down. His mother put on a smile, and a few seconds later, they were all on him. He felt his mother's arms wrap around him, pulling him closer to her. "M-my boy. S-so strong." A few seconds later, his father joined him and his brother and finally, his sister. They were all there. The Moretta family, united as one. Tyson wishd that he could stay like this, forever. Hell, District Twelve wasn't the best place in the world, but it was surely better than the Capitol. His family was in here. His friends, his people.

When they broke apart, his father stood next to him, a hand on Tyson's shoulder. "Son, when you are in there, just do what you need to do. Don't worry about us. We love you, no matter what. Just do whatever you can to get back to us."

Tyson nodded. "Dad, my chances aren't the best. I mean, I'm nothing compared to the ones from the earlier districts, but I might be better than the others. I might have a chance. What I'm trying to say is..." Tyson's older brother laughed, and kneeled next to him.

"Little brother, let's be realistic here, please. You're strong, you're brave and not even some of the merchant boys are taller than you. Not to mention that you're an amazing leader. You'll get an aliance, you'll lead them to the end, and then you'll win. That's my brother. That's the Tyson Moretta that everyone knows and loves." He was smiling and laughing, but Lennon's eyes were also sending him a message. Just like they had, since he was a little boy and Lennon took him to play in the backyard with the other kids.

 _You have to be strong, for them. They'll fall apart completely without you here._

That was one of Tyson's biggest fears. They looked up to him, not only his family but also his friends, and now he was going into the Hunger Games. To a fight to the death that he might never come of. What would happen to them if Tyson wasn't in here? One part of him told him that they would be perfectly fine without him, that they would find someone new to look up to. Someone better. But Tyson also feared that the part that told him that they would fall apart completely without him in here.

That's why he had to fight as hard as he could. Yes, he didn't knew how to lead them, because he didn't even knew what he wanted to before today. Hell, he was just trying to survive the reapings and after that, he would figure out his future. But now, he didn't have a choice. He might be an awful leader, but this one thing, he could do it. For them. He could fight as hard as he could for them, to keep his family together.

He could. He had to. Tyson might not have been enough before, but now he had to be. Now, his insecurities had to stay behind. His life depended on it, but most of all, his family depended on him. And he couldn't let them down. Not now.

"What I'm trying to say is that you guys need to prepare. If something bad happens to me. I mean, it's always better to be ready for the worst and have a nice little suprise, right?" He tried to smile, and hope that this would make things better. If they were prepared and he didn't make it back, m-maybe it wouldn't hurt too much.

Tyson shaked his head. No. He couldn't let that happen. When he was alone later, maybe. Maybe by then he could fall apart. But not right now. He owed it to them to stay strong.

When the Peacekeepers came to get his family, Tyson almost felt like crying again. "I love you all. I really do. Please don't ever forget that." His mother smiled.

"We'll see you soon, son. We love you." She sounded so confident. So certain that he would make it back to them, no matter what. Tyson had to be like them. He had to believe that he would make it back, or it wouldn't work. He had to believe in himself. And for the first time in his life, Tyson was sure of what he had to do.

* * *

 **Ryella Duval; 18 years old.**  
 **District Six Female.**

* * *

People expected her to actually cry.

Ryella had never understood that people that cried at the reaping. It would just lower their chances of being sponsored, and their chances of making it home. However, if they didn't cry, that was half the way to make a good impression in the Capitol. Ryella didn't even remember being nervous when she was reaped. She was calm, even if the possible bloody deaths that she could end up having did come across her mind for a few seconds. This gave her a chance, something that she wasn't expecting before. Being reaped wasn't in her plans, but Ryella already knew what she would do.

This gave her a chance of making a life for herself, of living by her own rules. She would look at this like a Game, with its own set of rules. Only one could come out in the end, and all the others had to die. She didn't mind killing, it couldn't be that hard. Just like a true game of chess, like the ones that Ryella used to play when she was younger, the paws had to fall for someone to win. But if she managed to do it, this also gave her another opportunity.

To be free. She could bring actually nice people to take care of her brother, to give him everything that he deserved. The thought of Lyric brought a small smile to Ryella's face. If it wasn't for it, she would have ran away from that use long ago and made a life for herself, somewhere nice and in a place where she wouldn't have the weight of the world on her shoulders. Maybe then, she could finally relax.

And her father... Ryella wasn't sure of what she should do about him in the first place. He had controlled her life until the end, and even now, when she was the one that provided everything for their home, he actually had a say in it. Ryella hated him, but then, she didn't really pay much attention to emotions. Ryella had learned to put her emotions in a place that couldn't hurt her a long time ago, because they didn't help. Emotions would not help her survive, they wouldn't put food in the table of the day.

Poisoning him? No, she couldn't. Well, maybe she could actually work it out, but a Peacekeeper had just moved a few doors down to where they lived. It could work, but she would get caught quickly. She could run away and take Lyric with her, probably move to Camryn's house, but it wouldn't last long. Listening to his parents wouldn't be worth it, even if Lyric would probably be better in there.

Winning the Games would give her everything. Some people, including her father thought that the Games were right. That the people in the districts deserved to pay for what people had done to the Capitol in the past, and that the killing was good. Ryella knew that she didn't agree with that completely, because there were still some people that didn't deserve to be in the Games. Her brother, for exemple. He wouldn't last a second in the Games.

For a second, images of Lyric's death came to her mind. Him being torn apart by a mutt, or cut in half by a Career. No, no, she couldn't think like that. Her brother was safe, at least for now. If, not if, when she came out as a Victor, Lyric would never have to worry about the Games. She would make sure of that.

Ryella looked at the clock, trying to calculate how long it would take them to come. Maybe her father wouldn't even come. Who knew. If there was someone that Ryella wanted to see before she left, it was Lyric. He would surely miss her. She needed to _try_ to tell him where she was going. That she would be going away for a while. Maybe forever. Maybe not.

Seconds later, there was knock at the door. A Peacekeeper came in, helping her father walking in to the room, in his wheel chair. It had been a gift from Camryn because even if Ryella tried, she couldn't afford to buy it for herself. Seconds later, her brother was in the room too. A small smile appeared on his face. "Ry-ella." And then, he gave a little laugh.

Ryella smiled a little. If she ever came close to caring about someone that wasn't herself, than this was it. Lyric could only speak one word, thanks to the Cerebral Palsy, and it was her name. Ryella could have said that the look on their father's face when Lyric had said her name for the first time was quite amusing. She ruffled his hair a little bit. "I have to go away for a litte while now, Lyric. But I'll back soon. I promise." She leaned down, and kissed the top of his head.

He just giggled again. "Ry-ella." That was when she turned to her father, facing him.

"Ryella, so you have been reaped. What are you planning on doing?" Even, in a situation like this, her father was obvious.

"Everything I need to do, father. Isn't that why they have a reaping each year? To figure out which one of us is capable of doing whatever it takes." That was partly true.

"Don't disappoint me. You know that we both need you." Ryella never knew her mother. But sometimes, she wondered if things would be different if she actually had one.

"I won't." With that, they both left and Ryella stayed still, watching them leave. One part was done. Now, for the other one. Seconds later, Camryn came in, looking all dressed up, as always. Rich people like him made Ryella want to throw up, but they were necessary.

"My love!" And before Ryella could do anything else, she was in his arms and he was kissing her, and there was nothing she could but kiss him back. For one moment, she didn't care. If felt good, and she might never see him again so why would she care? Besides, this might make him look after her family when she was gone.

"Are you okay?" He asked, when she was sitting in his lap and Ryella used the opportunity to bury her face in his chest, so he wouldn't be able to see her expression. Or her thoughts. "I'm fine. Or at least, I will be soon enough." Camryn appeared to her as an opportunity in the worst time of her life, and Ryella couldn't do anything but do it. He was one of six children to millionaire Carlyle Lapointe, a CEO of a successful mechanical industry, who had more money than Ryella could ever imagine.

He had a crush on her since they were on fifth grade. It would be expected that he basically fel into her arms when she needed him to. It wasn't too hard. A kiss there, a night together in here, and he would end up doing anything that she could possibly want. As long as Ryella was "with" him, it's all he cared about. He gave her the money to support her family and herself, that was all she cared about. "Is there anything I can do for you, baby?"

"Actually, yes. Take care of my family while I'm gone? You know how much they mean to me." She kissed his neck.

"Don't worry about it. Just come back to me. I love you, Ryella." He left, but she didn't really have a reply for him. Now she was done. Now, she could focus on the Hunger Games. Ryella wouldn't play by the rules.

* * *

 **Oliver Craddocks; 16 years old.**  
 **District Nine Male.**

* * *

It was exactly like a game.

Oliver had played many games before in his life, but nothing like this. All of his games had a beggining and an end, and in most of them, he had come out as the winner. He was absolutely sure that he deserved to be the winner in all of them, because he worked hard. Unlike most of people, Oliver had to work to get everything he wanted. He had to fight, and sometimes even struggle. But that was also one of the things that made him the best. The strongest.

But right now, for the first time of his life, Oliver had no clue about what the future held for himself. Only that he was going to represent District Nine in the Seventy Second Hunger Games, and that he would probably die a bloody death, at the hands of someone stronger than him.

No, no. Oliver shaked his head. He couldn't let himself think like that. This was just a game, like every other one that he had played before and he knew the rules. If he could focus enough, this would be just a test. Yes, he was going into the dark. But in the end, he would beat the thing that everyone considered the worst thing in Panem and it would be make him the best. It would make him the best in the district, and finally, there wouldn't be no one standing on his way of being the best.

He would be Oliver Craddocks, the Victor. But most of all, there wouldn't be a soul in Panem and in District Nine that wouldn't remember who Oliver was. He would be remembered, for the rest of life and even after all. And just like that, Oliver would get over one of his biggest fears. Being forgotten. No, he wouldn't be like the other tributes that died, throwed into oblivion and never remembered again by someone that wasn't their family. Sometimes not even their family remembered them in the way that they should.

That wouldn't happen with Oliver. No, it happened before, but he wouldn't let it happen again. Never again. For the first since he was reaped, Oliver was starting to see the good side to the Hunger Games, just like he would, to any other Game. He would beat what everyone considered dangerous and that would make him the absolute best. He would never be forgotten. But most of all, he would make a name for his family.

Oh yes, Oliver was surely starting to warm up to this.

Slowly, the door to the room that Oliver was opened. Oliver's mothers, Susanna and Annabel came in, holding each other for support, both blinking away tears. Right, and then there was this. Before Oliver could prove to everyone that he was much better than them, people talked behind his back. The fact that he had two mothers, instead of a normal couple like most kids did, was something that they made fun of, everyday. But Oliver couldn't care less.

They were the only ones that ever truly cared about him. Oliver didn't knew his real parents but for him, it didn't matter. Susanna and Annabel were his family, and he didn't want to know what anyone else thought. That was also part of the reason that he wanted to win the Games. If he did, he would show everyone that a lesbian couple could raise a child to be the best of the best. Could raise him to be a Victor.

He could almost smell it. The smell of victory.

Susanna was the first to reach him, bringing Oliver in for a hug. Oliver had learned to be brave with her. She had left her rich family, who wanted her to marry another boy, to be with her true love, who happened to be a girl and happened to be from the poorest side of the district. Since then, they had made their family. "Our baby, An, look at him. He's all grown up and no-now, he h-has t-to..."

Oliver smiled at her. "Mama, I'll be perfectly fine, don't worry. I'm me, after all? If anyone has a chance of winning from District Nine, it's me. Oliver Craddocks, the best of the best."

Annabel was smiling, but Oliver could see that she was also close to the tears. "You heard me, mom?" He asked, turning to her. "Tough as nails, just like you guys always taught me to be." _The best of the best._ If it wasn't for them, he would still be a small sad boy in the orphanage , looking for love. Trying to find a way to not be forgotten. But they had taken him in, and had given him all of their love, and it was because of them that Oliver always learned to give his best to everything he did.

Annabel smiled at him, and this time, she didn't fight the tears. "You know we love you, don't you? More than anything in the world," She turned to Susanna, placing a hand on her shoulder. "And he's right, baby. If anyone can win this, it's our son. I mean, he's the strongest person I know."

Both of them brought him in for a last hug, when the Peacekeeper knocked at the door. "I love, mom. I love you, mama. I'll be back for the both of you, no matter. We're a family, always and forever. Remember that. Remember me."

"Always and forever," They said, and turned back to walk away, holding each other. "We love you, Oliver."

"I love you too." He said, right before the door closed behind them. Seconds later, his best friend Ethan came rushing in, and before Oliver could react, he brought Oliver into a big hug. "Wh-why di-did it have t-to be y-you..."

Oliver laughed, punching him lightly on the chest, just like he always did when Ethan was feeling down. "I don't know, man. I guess that fate just has a thing for me."

"You'll m-make it ba-back. You have to." Ethan said.

"Of course I will! Look at it on the bright side, man. When I come back, I'll be officially better than you. That sounds good?" Ethan laughed, but the tears still didn't let him reply.

"Ethan, I'll be back here. Relax. I promise you, man. Since when does Oliver Craddocks breaks a promise to his best friend?"

"Since never." They both laughed and soon, Ethan was gone. Now that he had said goodbye, Oliver felt clean. Now, he couldn't almost wait to get to the Games. No matter what he had to do, no matter who had to die, Oliver would play. And he would be the ultimate Victor.

* * *

A/N: **This one was pretty fast, uhm? Took me less than a week. Mostly because I'm pretty excited to get to the Capitol and to the fun stuff! xD One more of those, and we'll be there! Thanks for reading this, and I'll see you soon!**


	9. Wasted Youth

**Chapter Nine.**  
 **Goodbyes Part Two.**

* * *

 **Brooke Devoir; 16 years old.**  
 **District Eight Female.**

* * *

It was storming like a bitch.

Brooke could almost laugh at the irony, now that she was completely alone, sitting on the velvet couch. District Eight wasn't known for being too rainy, it was either sunny or dark, just like Brooke. That was probably a part of why Brooke was sad about leaving District Eight. It was her home, yes, but it was so much more than that. It used to be awful, but there came a time when people started to leave her alone. Not care about her, but they left her alone to do whatever she wanted. It wasn't much, but it was surely a start.

If people could grow to care about her, they would give her approval for what she did. Not that Brooke really needed it to live, but it was nice to have someone to watch your back. And if this had to happen, why didn't it happen earlier? When she didn't have anyone, and had to fight to survive all by herself. Right now, her life was finally going somewhere. She had gotten an internship as a manager of a factory. She had an apartement, and people were finally starting to see her for who she really was. Not like the daughter of a whore. More like Brooke Devoir, the girl who could get somewhere in life.

Brooke wanted that. There was a time in her life, when she was about nine or ten, and she used to sit at the window of the orphanage, watching family after family taking away every friend that she made and with every passing year, they also took away her chances. She wanted that, no, she craved it. If the others deserved to have a family, someone that would guide them to a better future, why didn't see? Just because her mother happened to be a whore? It wasn't fair.

Brooke was fourteen when she decided that she had enough. That she was willing to do anything to get out, but if she wanted to do it and be someone else, she had to do it while she still had a chance. In the orphanage, that window was always her way of escaping the world. Of pretending to be somewhere else, being someone else. That was Brooke's biggest strenght. She always found a way to escape, no matter where she was or what she was doing.

But by then, Brooke had decided that she had enough of escaping. She did some many things, some that she would rather not talk about ever again, but it got her where she was now. She was an A student in school. Teachers claimed that she had a promising future, and that someone like her deserved nothing but the best. But they didn't know, none of them had any idea of who the real Brooke Devoir was. Of what she had done to get where she was now, of who she had thrown out of her way to be great.

Some day, she might come to regret it, regret all the bad things that she had done. If there was any God, like many people around the district believed, then she would pay for them one day. But right now, Brooke couldn't prouder of herself. Each day to their own, and right now, she had more trouble to focus on than what she had done to get here. _The Hunger Games._

Brooke wasn't a good person. She was very aware of it, and in the streets, where every night could be her last, that was the best thing that anyone could have. _If you know who you are, so will your enemies_. Brooke lived by that until this very same day, and she was sure that she would continue to follow it, wherever this Games took her. She had stopped hating her flaws long ago, when she realized that they wouldn't get her anywhere. She had made a name for herself, and she had surrounded herself with others to cover up what she can't. They had what she didn't, and that made her happy.

The weak people didn't matter to Brooke. The weak people were her mother, who had the guts to abandon a baby who couldn't even defend herself and her father, who she didn't have a clue about. The weak people were cowards who didn't have the strenght to face who they truly were. Brooke hated them. They didn't do anything to survive, unlike the others. Brooke loved to get them done. To do everything she could to make them see who they truly were. Cowards, without a purpose in life.

They didn't deserve her respect. The strong ones, the people who fought with everything they had even if it wasn't much, those were the ones that Brooke respected. The ones that she wanted to be like. People didn't earn Brooke's respect by having too much money, or being popular. Sure, those were nice people that she liked to surrender herself with, but they didn't mean a thing to her. They didn't have her respect.

She respected the survivors. People who did everything to survive, just like she had. Brooke was glad that she had gotten over it a long time ago, or she wouldn't stand a chance in the place that she was going to right now. Maybe she didn't. Maybe the Careers would strick her down in the Bloodbath, and everything would be over soon. But she refused to believe it. She refused to not try to fight, because if Brooke Devoir was going down, she would go down fighting.

No matter what. No matter what she had to do, no matter who she had to manipulate. Brooke Devoir was going to give her best, and if she was going down, she would fight until the end. Brooke glanced at the clock in the wall ahead of her. Five minutes left. Five minutes, and then everything would go to hell. She would fight, or she could cry. Live or die. Fight or flight. It was all about choices in the end, no matter what anyone else thought.

Like the choice her mother just made when she decided to not show up. She had a few friends visiting her, but Brooke hoped for someone. Her mother. Brooke already knew, but there was a part of her, a tiny part that was filled with hope, that her mother would come to see her, just this once. After all, she was going to a death match, one that she might never come back from. Was it so wrong to want a hug from her mother, in what could be the first and also last time?

She felt the tears making her eyes sting, but now wasn't the time. Now, it was the time to focus on what she needed to do. She needed to survive. It was probably a good thing that Brooke was already a survivor. It had to be.

* * *

 **Fabian Tanaka; 17 years old.**  
 **District Eight Male.**

* * *

Fabian didn't know what to say.

He guessed that this was how people reacted when something bad happened to them. Quiet, looking for a good choice of words. Some didn't care at all, because they had absolutely nothing to lose. But most had a family. Someone to come back to, someome that wouldn't be able to stand watching them die. Fabian knew that most tributes liked to leave everything in order before they went to the Games. Something that could be able to take away the pain of their loved ones when their death came. That was a sure thing.

No one from District Eight ever came out of the Games. There was Woof and his daughter, and Carley Everatt won a few years ago, but there was it. People from their District weren't made to be in the Games. And if some of the strongest people that District Eight ever saw couldn't make it out, how could he?

Fabian was just a teenage boy. He wasn't much, and he didn't have much, but he was just trying to survive in the streets. He had never hurt anyone in his entire life, and Fabian wasn't sure if he could ever do it. But yet, bad things always seemed to find their way back to him. People had joked when he was reaped. They had laughed, and some of them had sighed with relief, because they were safe for another year. Their family and friends were safe. Nobody cared about some boy from the streets who didn't have a place that he could call home. The streets were Fabian's home.

But still, it seemed like the future had saved many things for him today. When his sister ran off, four years ago, Fabian always hoped that he would see her again. He didn't blame her. There was a part of him that was always angry, for leaving him with their mother alone, but he couldn't bring himself to blame her. That girl had done more for him that anyone ever had. they were family, after all. She had raised him like her own son while their mother couldn't, when she was just a teenager.

Someone that should be having fun, not someone that should be working to put food on the table for her mother and baby brother. He didn't blame her for running away when she found true love. Fabian wished that he could do the same thing, pack and leave everything behind his back, and be a teenage boy for once. But he couldn't. Fabian had once made a promise to Harper, his sister, when they were both small children. He promised her that he would never hurt anyone. Not physically or with words, he wouldn't.

He couldn't break a promise to her. But now, she was back. Well, she wasn't really back yet, but Fabian had seen her at the reaping. She was so different from what she used to be, but it was still her. It was still his sister. Fabian doubted that she knew that he and their mother were still alive. Hell, he didn't even knew if she cared about it. About them. But he was willing to give it a try. Because, all of this time, everything that Fabian wanted was a family. A real family. Like the other children around the District had. A father, a mother, and his sister.

But instead, he got what no one wanted. A drug-addicted mother, who couldn't even get out of bed. He never knew his father, and neither did Harper. Then he had a sister, who might or might not still care about him. He guessed that he would learn it today, the answer to the question that he has had for so many years. A knock in the door brought him back to reality. A Peacekeeper walked in, helmet under his arm. Fabian lifted an eyebrow.

What was a Peacekeeper doing there? Had he done something wrong already? Something that would ruin him in the Games? "Mr. Tanaka. Your Supervisor, Mr. Isaac Tremaine is currently in the hospital, but it was his wish that you have good luck in the Hunger Games."

Fabian nodded. "Thank you." He tried to find more words, something that he could tell this Peacekeeper and let Isaac know, but he didn't. Fabian was never good with words in the first place. He just said what was necessary. Nothing more. Nodding, the Peacekeeper put his helmet back on, and seconds later, she came in.

Fabian wasn't sure of how time could change a person so much. His sister, who used to be a small girl for her age, was now probably even taller than what he already was. Her brown hair was short, but there was something new about her. She finally looked her age. She looked happy, without a care in the world. Fabian had never envied someone that much as he did in that moment.

He was to scream at her. Ask why she left them. Tell her that it wasn't fair, but instead, all he did was stay quiet. Like always, Fabian didn't have the courage to do what was necessary. Harper crossed the room in a few seconds, and brought him into her arms. "I-I'm so-sorry. I had to, Fabian, I'm so sorry. And now you're going there and I-I... I'm sorry."

At least she cared about him. Fabian was expecting someone else, a girl that couldn't care less about him. But this was still his sister. Maybe there was still hope for him, after all. "It's okay. We don't have much time and you're here now. That's all that matters."

"I wished I could have done something," She whispered. "Maybe I still can."

Fabian nodded. "Take care of mom for me. That's all you can do right now. I'll have to do the rest myself." He lied. He couldn't do anything. If the odds were right, he wouldn't make it back. Fabian was willing to try and beat the odds, just this time.

* * *

 **Nerinea Aravis; 18 years old.**  
 **District Three Female.**

* * *

The smile never left Nerinea's face.

People came and went, but Nerinea remained exactly the same. Sitting on the couch next to the door, she greated all of them with a warm smile. She was calm, and she was relaxed. Some people thought she was being brave, putting on a good face for the cameras. Trying to prove them that she really stood a chance, but Nerinea could see behind the mask that they put on. People thought that she had absolutely no chance in the Games, but they never knew the real Nerinea Aravis.

They knew the harmless, caring Nerinea who loved being around people. Oh, they couldn't be more wrong. But this would be good, now that she had fallen into this situation. In the Hunger Games, nothing would be considered too much. In a few days, her family and friends would go from seeing her as an angel to a killer. A murderer. someone who did everything she could to survive. Someone people would call it murderer, but Nerinea called it survival of the fittest.

Those that weren't willing to everything that was needed, ended up dying. Most people thought that it was a battle between the weak and the strong. Nerinea considered that it was simply a struggle between those that were willing to do whatever it took and those that weren't. And to be able to do whatever was necessary, you couldn't care about what other people thought. Hell, what was killing a few people compared to the fact that she would be able to owe her own life, for the first time in forever?

She would be able to be the owner of her own life. In everything that she went throught in her life, Nerinea had lost herself. She didn't know who she was, but she was trying to get that back, piece by piece. She always figured that she would have more time. More time to figure out who she truly was, and where she truly belonged. But then, the Hunger Games appeared in front of her future, possibly blocking everything that Nerinea could have buil for herself in the future.

She wouldn't mind killing. It wouldn't be hard at all, because Nerinea had something that most people didn't. She wasn't bothered by the fact that she would have to kill other fellow teenagers, like herself. One hit, one slash, and another one would be down. She would be one step closer to being home. And who knows, maybe she would never have to go back to her job again. Not that she minded it that much. It could be fun, after a time.

Well, there were times when some clients were a bit more rude than they were supposed to be, but it was worth it. The bruises in her body healed after a few days. But the money, it was completely worth it. She was able to help her foster parents and help them with keeping food on the table, while she could still save a lot of Money. Dresses, shoes, she could buy it all. And the best thing was that no one had a clue of what she did during the night.

Not her brother, not their parents, not her friends. All they saw was harmless Nerinea, the one that wouldn't be able to hurt a fly. It was so funny how people didn't know what was in front of them, even if the truth was right there, staring them right in the face. As her parents left, hanging to each other for support, Nerinea waved them away with a smile.

That was probably what did it. Who would expect that a person who always had a smile on her face was hiding someone else? When Terran came in, seconds after their parents had left, Nerinea felt herself relax. Whatever love was, she was sure that she felt it for Terran. It was only when Nerinea noticed Mabel walking behind him that her smile almost disappeared. Almost.

"Neri', damn, I can't imagine how that must have felt like. Being reaped. In front of the whole District." Nerinea giggled a bit. Yes, it was a good feeling. But most of all, she was suprised at how calm she was. She didn't cry. She wasn't shaking. Same couldn't be said for her sorry excuse of a district partner.

"Oh, you know. I can see now why they describe this as one of the best feelings on the world. It certantly felt like it." Terran laughed, and Nerinea quickly followed him. He wasn't worried for her, but then, why would he be? More than anyone in the world, he knew what she was capable of. But then, so did that annoying little sister of is.

When came to him that night, covered in her father's blood, they were both there. Terran made Mabel promise that she would never ever tell their parents, and gave the bed to Nerinea, after she was clean. Nerinea didn't regret it. In fact, she was completely calm, just like she was now. She had lost herself because of him and that night, she snapped.

She lost her humanity because of him. Maybe it would be a good thing right now. "It can't be so hard for you, Nerinea. I mean, you have killed before. You surely won't mind doing it again, would you?" Mabel was so annoying. Nerinea wouldn't mind killing her right there. In fact, she would kill Terran if it meant that she would get to live. That was just who she was. Her life was what mattered the most.

"I'll be perfectly fine, Mabel. None of you have anything to worry about." She giggled. With a hand on Mabel's shoulder, Terran used the other to caress Nerinea's face and smirked. "You'll be just fine, so there's not point in wishing you good luck." He was absolutely right. There was no point in doing that. After all that she had been throught, Nerinea didn't need luck. She was a survivor and that was all she needed to get out of the Games.

* * *

 **Kaneki Idris; 16 years old.**  
 **District Five Male.**

* * *

He wasn't sure if they would come.

Kaneki waited, enjoying the silence while it lasted. When they came, the silence would be replaced with the noise. His peace would be replaced with chaos, and that was something that Kaneki couldn't really enjoy. But still, there was a part that didn't want them to come. If they didn't come, then he could die at peace. Kaneki had made his peace with his death, the moment that the escort called his name.

He didn't have it in him. He was weak, and how could he ever survive against twenty four other teenagers? Some were much stronger than him. If he couldn't even survive without _it,_ then how could he survive in an arena where what he did could possibly be considered a crime? Kaneki had no idea. So, if his family decided to appear, it could already be considered his funeral. The others were much stronger. His district partner, for exemple. He had seen her around in the district, mostly in school. Who could say that didn't hear of Katarina Morellee? Certantly not someone that lived in District Five.

The girl was twice as bigger as he was. All it would took was a knife to the gut, and he would be free. Maybe it was for the best. He could finally be free from what he did everyday, and his family wouldn't have to deal with someone like him. They would be free from the gossip that everyone did about him, and he wouldn't have to suffer anymore. The scars and bruises on Kaneki's arms proved that. Maybe, maybe, he could make some sort of deal with the Careers. All they cared about was to have an extra kill. He would give them that, and they would take him out.

But as much as he wanted to be free, there was a small part of him that wanted to live. A part that was begging him to fight, to not give up before he had reached the Capitol. Maybe that part of him knew what the other refused acknowledge. That some people would miss him when he died, and actually cry for him. Mourn him. And that part, even if he fought it every day, was much bigger than the other one. His life was a countdown that would probably reach zero soon enough.

Maybe he didn't have a choice in the matter. And here he was, trying to decide if he wanted to live or die, when fate probably already made that choice long ago. Maybe he didn't deserve to live. He wasn't a human anymore, after all, was he? He never wanted to let it come to this.

This didn't make him human. It made him a monster, or something probably even worse than that. With pale skin like his, Kaneki was almost sure that people didn't consider him human anymore. Some kind of freak. Maybe not even that.

Kaneki tried. He tried to fight it everyday, he wanted to stay human so much... Not only for himself, but also for the people that still cared about him a bit. He wanted to remain himself... but he couldn't. He was weak. He didn't have the strenght to fight the lust for it... It was too much. He wouldn't try be suprised if his family decided to not show up. Not that it wouldn't break his heart to pieces, but Kaneki would deal with it. He always had. Pain wasn't anything new to Kaneki.

He knew how to enjoy it, but he also knew how to hate it. That was the thing about pain. It demanded to be felt, one way or another. Some people choosed to love it, which could probably be the best choice. Others hated it with everything they had. Kaneki had been in both sides, and he had done it all. But to that day, he still couldn't decide which one was better. If any of them was better at all. A knock on the door almost made him fall of the chair that he was currently in.

His parents... could it be them? Of course it was them. He didn't have anyone else that would care about visiting him. Only his beloved parents, who had already suffered so much because of him. His father was a small man, but probably the person that Kaneki respected the most in the entire world. He was not a powerful man, but he loved his children very much. So it wasn't that much of a suprisse when he was the only that came to visit him.

"Son," Kaneki could see that he was about to cry, but it wasn't worth it. He didn't want anyone crying because of him, because honestly, it wasn't worth it. He didn't deserve it. "I'm so sorry that this had to happen to you. You didn't deserve it."

 _Maybe I do. I was the one that picked up that knife up in the first place, and made the first one._

"Thank you, father. It had to happen to someone, right? Please... don't miss me too much. It's not worth it." He hoped that he and the rest of their family would take his advice, and move on. A few years later, they would forget him. They would forget all of the pain, and would finally be free from his ghost. And then, Kaneki Idris would be just a name on a rock, forgotten forever.

"You're a good boy, Kaneki. Hold on to that."

A good boy. Did good people do what he did? Probably not. But it was so strong... It brought Kaneki down to his knees. The craving... right now, it was all he wanted. To get a knife, and just do it. It would surely calm him down. But he couldn't do it... not there. Maybe in the Capitol, but not here, where everyone could see him.

He would have time for that. It was the only thing that he truly knew how to do.

* * *

 **A/N:** And... here where are! I can't believe this is done. Next up, the Capitol! Okay, okay, I have a few things to say this time. Now that we're done with the pre-reaping stuff and that you've seen all 24 of our lovely tributes, there's a poll on my profile, asking for your favorites! ;) Go on and vote, please. It helps. 8/9 chapters for the Capitol, where you'll everyone else one more time and then we're off to the arena!

Oh God, I can't wait. I have so much planned. ;)

Anyways, please vote on the poll. Enjoy your weekend. I'll see you next week with the Train Rides! Oh, and reviews are very much appreciated! xD Even more now that we are going into the fun stuff!


	10. Break The Wheel

**Chapter Ten.**  
 **Train Rides.**

* * *

 **Leila Rorie; 17 years old.**  
 **District Ten Female.**

* * *

She was so bored.

Leila was about to explode because of the silence. Since they had entered the train, she had seen it all. Visited her room, tasted a bit of every food, and now here she was, hoping for a bit of talking. The escort had showed her the dressing room, with more clothes than she could ever wear in her entire life, and had asked her to change into something new. _Those clothes belong in your past,_ she said. _Wear something that can define the new Leila._

But that was the problem. There was no new Leila, just the old one. She was still the same Leila, the one that had almost fallen apart when her parents didn't came to visit her, or the one that never had the courage to tell Sadie that she loved her. _Her friend,_ no, not her friend. _Her girlfriend._ Sadie was the only one that came to visit her in the end.

Leila pretended that it was okay, that she didn't need anyone else but her, but it wasn't okay. It was far away from okay. Sometimes, she tried to understand what went throught her parent's heads. Had they already decided that she wasn't worth it?

That she would be just another death in the Hunger Games? Forgotten by everyone, but those that ever cared about her. In that case, it was only Sadie. But right now, she couldn't think about that. The world had decided to fuck with her, once again, but Leila had decided to strike back twice as harder. She refused to be just another dead tribute in the Hunger Games. She was Leila Rorie, and what she did best was to survive. No matter what.

She refused to show weakness to any of them. Fine, there were moments when Leila already felt like breaking down. And kicking someone. Mostly that annoying escort, or her asshole of a district partner that didn't realize that by crying, he was giving the Capitol everything that they wanted. But deep inside, there was a part of her that understood. The kid probably had a family, people that cared about, people that would actually mourn him if he died.

Leila had no one but Sadie, so that feeling wasn't really new to her. She had gone throught all of it before. Rejection. Fear, Sadness, Loneliness, and all the shitty emotions that anyone could possibly name. Maybe that was why she refused to cry, even when she wanted to. She was already used to that feeling, and boy, didn't it hurt.

Feelings didn't matter. She had more important things to focus on, rather than some annoying emotions. They would ruin her, if Leila felt them. Yes, sometimes it was important to let them all out. To allow herself to feel, because they were also a part of life. Part of the bad and good moments, those that Leila would never Forget, even after she was gone. After she had been replaced with the new Leila, the one that was willing to do anything to win. To see Sadie again. To prove her parents that they were wrong in giving up on her.

She knew that it would have to happen. There would come a time, when the old Leila would have to go. Maybe not forever, maybe only until she was back home. Leila didn't know. But she if had learned one thing from her life experience, it was that nobody went throught the Hunger Games without changing. One way or another, she would be forced to do thing that she would regret later.

Like kill her district partner, for example. Leila glanced at him, and from her spot next to the window, she could see his expression. Scared. Terrified, even. But right now, he was doing his best to stay strong. _Looks like someone finally learned the trick._ There was only one question to be made at the moment. Could she kill him? Leila had no idea. Maybe, if it came down to the two of them. No, not maybe. _Yes._ She had to. In the Hunger Games, there was no place for a no or a maybe.

 _Kill or be killed._ But if she was going to kill this boy, when the time came, then she couldn't ally with him. That would ruin it all. If she allied with him, she would get to know him. Know his family, his friends, his story. His hopes and dreams. If that happened, she wouldn't be able to do it. But that didn't mean that she couldn't get to know him a little bit. Know his strenghts, and his weaknesses. But nothing more.

Leila sat on the couch, right next to Coulter, maybe even a little bit too close. "So, err, Coutler. How's it going?" For seconds, there was no reply. Leila waited, a hopeful smile on her face, when Coulter looked up from the reaping recap that he was watching, a confused look on his face. If there was one thing that Leila waited, it was to be ignored.

"You know, it's only polite to reply when people talk to you. If I want to speak to a doll, I would have brought one from home. God knows I have plenty of those ugly things back home." Okay, he could talk. She had seen him talk. So why wasn't he talking?

"I-I'm s-sorry. I'm C-Coulter. It's n-nice to m-meet y-you." _Oh God, why?_ It did seem that the whole world was planning against her. First, she was reaped. Then, she was stuck with a guy who could barely talk straight. _I must be a really bad person to deserve this._

 _"_ So... do you have anyone waiting for you?" With his looks, Leila could have bet that he had gotten over half of the female population of District Ten. But right now, that she was getting to know his personality, Leila doubted that he had even got laid one time in his life. But it was worth the try.

"I-I have my b-brother. And my p-parents." Leila rolled her eyes. Her theory was proving itself correct with every passing minute.

"No, no, silly, that's not what I mean. Someone you're fighting for. Someone you love. A girlfriend, a boyfriend, lover, whatever you want?" In that moment, Leila wanted to take it out of her pocket. Sadie had given it to her, right before she had left, and right now, it was Leila's most prized possesion. A photo of the two of them together. Leila had no idea of when it was taken, but it was recent.

Someone else might have considered that it was nothing important, but to Leila, it was everything. It meant that someone cared about her, that someone _loved_ her. And that was all she needed to fight until the end.

"I-I.. n-not really, n-no."

"Oh, that's a shame. Someone like you.. Uhm. I have a girlfriend, her name is Sadie," Leila reached for the photograph on her pocket, and handed it to Coulter. "See? Isn't she the most gorgeous thing in the world? And boy, that sex... I can't even begin to explain it, it's like.. the best thing in the world." Coulter blushed awkwardly, but Leila ignored that.

"So-so you have...?" Coulter handed the photograph back to her, and Leila stored it safely in her pocket. She had an idea that while it was there, safe, no one could destroy what she and Sadie had.

She giggled. Talking about her sex life wasn't exactly what she had in mind when she first came here, but whatever. It was pretty nice, to finally be talking to someone. For a moment, she could almost forget where they were and what they were to do. _No,_ right now, she was here to do whatever she wanted. The Capitol didn't owe her, or her life. There were things, the good and bad moments, Sadie, her friends and even her parents that belonged to her, and only her. The Capitol would never get to owe that.

"Oh, yes. More than one time, actually. In fact, I think I already lost count. But enough of little ol' me. Let's talk about you. What do you do for a living, Coulter?" _And maybe get to know what you can and can not do? Yeah, that would be pretty helpful._ She didn't want to do this. In fact, doing anything that the Capitol wanted made Leila want to vomit. But she had to. She had to play the Game, if she wanted anything close to a normal life ever again.

She refused to die without telling Sadie how she really felt. "I-I... m-my f-family h-have a farm. I-I usually h-help with the horses, but t-they don't let me do anything else. N-not until I turn eighteen." He was about to cry. Because she felt the exact same way. They were so different, from completely different worlds, but at the end of the day, they were just two kids, scared that they would never get to see their eighteen birthday.

"It's alright, Coulter. I know how you feel. It wouldn't hurt to watch the reapings one more time, right?" He nodded, and they turned their attention back to the reapings. Leila wasn't able to shake way the thoughts of Sadie from her mind, but she tried. _I'll see her again._

* * *

 **Alexa Cadwell; 18 years old.**  
 **District One Female.**

* * *

So far, everything was going accord to the plan.

Alexa was curled up on the couch, the tv remote on her hand, not bothering to make herself too comfortable. They would be in the Capitol soon enough, anyway. And there, the real game would begin. Alexa had been watching the reapings, but other part of her was also watching her district partner. Aidan's behavior was a mystery to Alexa, from the moment that they got together on the stage to this exact same second. Maybe he was already playing the Games, just like her. Maybe he was an idiot.

Alexa didn't know. But she did plan on finding out soon enough. Cashmere was sitting next to her, looking more busy with her nails than anything else, and Gloss sat with Aidan, away from them. "You don't trust him, do you?"

 _Of course I dont,_ Alexa wanted to say, but she held it back. Right now, she needed Cashmere. To get sponsors, and help her figure out who the biggest threats were. But there would come a time, when Alexa would be the only one who could do anything to change her future. _And she would._ But right now, she was the wild-card. People knew who Aidan was. The typical District One Male, who would probably end up leading the alliance. The others were nothing special, from what Alexa had seen so far.

But she wouldn't make the same mistake that the others had done in the past. They had understimated the others, and had ended up with a knife in their back. Alexa wouldn't follow in their footsteps. She would look out for them; all twenty-three, their strenghts and weaknesses and the way they worked. "Of course I don't. Should I?" Cashmere laughed a little, but shaked her head.

"No, you shouldn't. In there, you can't trust anyone but yourself to do what's necessary. But it's always nice to have someone in there to watch your back. Someone who will fight with you, for another manner of speaking. A temporary friend, if you will." So Alexa truly was right about Cashmere.

She was a good mentor, someone dedicated to help. People talked about her as slutty in the District, but it wasn't true. That's what Alexa heard, anyway. It was what she did around the District. She heard, and she kept the information for herself, only to use it later, when it came down to it. That was how she had gotten this far. By listening, and using it in her advantage. That was what would get far.

"We don't need friends in there, do we? I mean, did you have anyone?" Alexa had watched Cashmere's games more than one time. In fact, she had watched all of their games. From the first to the seventy-first. It was part of the preparation for the Games. To know how the others had worked out, how they had won.

"No, I didn't. Neither did Gloss, for that matter. All I had was my brother, that was waiting for me to come home. I didn't need friends when I had him." Alexa considered the thought for a moment. She had people waiting for her back home, people that hoped she would win. But at the end of the day, she was making this for herself and no one else. Maybe the Games would make her a better person, but maybe they wouldn't. She was willing to take the risk, but there was one thing that she would keep.

Her humanity. She was no monster, taking other's lifes because she took pleasure in it. She was just someone doing what was necessary, for herself and for the people waiting back home, while keeping her humanity intact. "But Gloss wasn't there with you, was he?"

Cashmere shaked her head. "No, he wasn't. But you need to remember something, Alexa. Everyone clings to something, even the worst of us. I had Gloss, and he had me. We were there for each other, and we still are. You would do well to remember. Everyone has something that they're fighting for, either a person or something. Hell, even just the thought of going home. But that's necessary, you know. The other alternative is falling apart."

Alexa knew that Cashmere was right. The best Victors were those that hold on to something, and that was what kept them together. What got them back home. Alexa would just have to find that one thing to hold on to.

Cashmere sighed. "Look, I'm not supposed to tell you this, because I wasn't supposed to know in the first place. We saw your training, all of us, but I was the one that ended up seeing most of it in the end, because I was going to be your mentor."

"What are you trying to say?"

"What I'm trying to say is that Gloss saw most of Aidan's training, just like I did with you. He's good, but he has one flaw. One thing that the Careers aren't allowed to have, if they want to make the most of their time in the arena and return home in one piece. He cares too much. And in the end, he's always torn between doing the right or wrong thing. That's his fatal flaw, and that's what you can use against him once you get the chance to do it."

A fatal flaw. Alexa hadn't thought of that before, but it was certantly interesting. Everyone had one, but only a few people knew which one was theirs. Alexa would just have to find hers, before anything else. "You had one, too? A fatal flaw, I mean."

Cashmere nodded. "Of course I did. Everyone of us had one. I was smaller than the other Careers, and it ended up meaning that they were much stronger than me in hand to hand combat. But my trainer told me something once that I never really forgot, and it ended up meaning the difference between my life and death. I might have been smaller, but I was faster than them. And they were way too confident to ever notice the small blonde girl from District One and in the end, that was what killed them. And what gave me my life."

"Do you... do you think I can do it?" She knew her chances, but it was good to know what her mentor thought of her chances. And even more after seeing everything that Cashmere knew.

"Winning? I think you can. You have a good chance, Alexa. I've seen you with that axe. You just need to know how to use that chance," With the next part, Cashmere lowered her voice. "When Aidan comes to you, I'm almost sure that he'll offer you an alliance."

Alexa raised an eyebrow. "An alliance? But we're allying with the others, aren't we?"

"Yes, you are," Cashmere agreed. "But it's not very unsual that district partners have a little something going on between them. An agreement, if you may. Something that will protect them when the Careers break apart, because that won't last forever. Something to make the two of you last longer, but only until it's necessary. When it's not, he'll turn against you with the first chance that he gets. Trust me, I know. My district partner betrayed me with the first chance that he got, and would have killed me if I wasn't already expecting it."

"And the point is?"

"The point, Alexa, is that I want you to say yes when Aidan comes to you. It's important that you say yes, but most all, it's important that you don't understimate him. He's a Career, just like you, even if he has a soft side. That doesn't mean that he's weaker, it just means that he might not be willing to do everything that you are willing to do." Cashmere was right. Whenever the alliance broke up, it would be every man for himself. And if Alexa wanted to have a better chance in surviving that, then she needed to do everything that Cashmere told her to.

"And the other Careers? Do you we should split from them soon or not?" She knew that the alliance wouldn't last too long, but Alexa was not sure of when they should break it up. Soon? Final 8?

"It's all up to the way you'll work as a team. If you see they'll help you win, then you work in a way that will keep the alliance together for a little longer. But never understimate them. Or anyone other tribute, for that matter. The problema with us Careers, Alexa, is the fact that we don't look at the other tributes like they can do anything. But sometimes, they have wills of their own. Sometimes, they refused to die.

Alexa nodded. She wouldn't do that, not if she wanted to win. To win, she had to consider every tribute for who they were and what they had to do, not leaving anyone behind. That's what a good tribute did. A good Career. A good Victor.

* * *

 **Katarina Morellee; 17 years old.**  
 **District Five Female.**

* * *

"Katarina! So nice of you to finally join us." Kat strolled to the table where Kaneki and their mentor, Cara Malli, sat while they were waiting for dinner. _Boring, so boring._ Here they were, discussing pathetic strategies or at least, Cara was. Kaneki seemed to be doing his best to listen to her, but in the end, whatever she said wouldn't matter. Strategy didn't matter. Kat had decided on her straytegy the moment that her name was called, back in District Five.

Do whatever she needed to do, while having a little fun along the way. First, she needed to find some paws that she could manipulate to her own will. Playing with their weak minds, promising that she would get them to live a little bit longer, or even pretending to be friendly. Kat had watched many Games before , and had seen all types of strategies, from the weak one to the brutish Career that murdered everyone in his sight.

But those didn't interest her. She wanted her own strategy. The Capitol wasn't interested in people that didn't have their own strategy, they wanted something new. They wanted a tough, strong, independent Victor. That was exactly what she would be, when the time came. "You know, I needed my beauty sleep before thinking of murder. Or else, I would get bored and fall asleep when you wee about to tell us what it takes to make a Victor."

Cara patted the chair next to her. "C'mon, sit. We'll have enough time to discuss what makes a Victor and what doesn't. Right now, there are much more important things that we need to talk about."

Katarina raised an eyebrow. "Like what? All the ways that you can kill with a knife? Don't worry, I already know some of them." Yes, that woman might have a lot more experience that Kat does. But to be completely honest, Katarina never enjoyed the Victors from her own District. They didn't have that special spark that the others did.

But Katarina had it. She needed to have it, or this wouldn't work.

With that, Cara turned her attention completely to Kat. "You know, I've heard about you around the District. Everyone speaks of the famous Katarina Morellee, the trouble-maker middle daughter." _The middle daughter._ Once again, she was being reduced to three simple words. Everything she was, everything she wanted, her hopes and dreams, they didn't matter. She wasn't even Katarina Morellee, she was just the middle daughter.

That was everything that she would ever be. A middle daughter of family, forgotten by everyone, unless she did something. Unless she took the matter into her own hands. For the first time since she was reaped, Katarina felt something new. She wasn't angry, sad, or something like that. It was relief that she felt. Relief that after so many years of being ignored, she would finally be able to do something for herself. She would no longer be Katarina Morellee, the middle daughter.

She would be Kat, the Victor. When she came home, they wouldn't want to look at anyone but her. But then, she would be the one in charge. She would decide who deserved her attention, and who didn't. She would finally be in control. Kat couldn't absolutely wait to see what it felt like. Being the one they looked up to for decisions, the one they went to when they needed an advice.

"Then you must know that I'm so much more than that. But hey, it's okay. I know many people only look at me as a simple middle daughter. Well, I can't blame them for having such a weak mind." Cara smiled.

"I know your type. You think you're so strong, but deep inside, you only have one goal in mind. Something selfish, something that you didn't get the opportunity to do until you were reaped for the Hunger Games. But I tell you something, Katarina. In the end, you'll never win. Because your fatal flaw is that in the end, you will let that goal consume you."

 _Don't let her get to you. You're stronger than her, stronger than all of them. None of them have been throught hell and back, just like you have._

Instead of punching her straight in the face, Kat took a deep breath and smiled. There would be time for that later, she reminded herself. Right now, it was show time. "Maybe you're right," She smiled. "We'll see about that."

Cara sighed, leaning back into her chair. "I want to know everything. Every single one of your strenghts and weakness, I need to know all of them, if I am going to help you in every way that I can." Katarina grabbed a bottle of wine, poured a bit into her cup, and sipped a bit. That was why she loved to drink, whenever things got rough. She wasn't any alcoholic, no, but the alcohol had been there for her when no one else was.

"Don't drink that," Cara said, while she tried to get the cup from Katarina's hands, but the younger girl was much stronger. "You can't afford to be drunk once we get to the Capitol. It will only make their impression of you worst than it already is."

Kat chuckled. "That's really encouraging, thank you. I'm sure the two of us will sleep much better at night now." Cara looked like she was about to say something that she would regret much later.

 _You're doing this wrong. Get her on your side, make her ignore him completely. Get the whole attention to yourself._

"But still," She continued, putting the wine back on the table. "I really appreciate what you're trying to do. I mean, our District really needs a new Victor. Seventy One years and we only had two of them. It's sad, really." That seemed to bring Cara back into focus, and she smiled at Katarina.

"Exactly," She replied. "That's why I'm trying to do the best for both of you. But first, I need to know something. Are the two of you planning on becoming allies, or should I train you separately?" She glanced from katarina to Kaneki, looking for an answer.

 _Uhm._ For a while, Kat considered him. From the pale skin to the slim build, he had District Five written all over him. He could be easy to manipulate, but in the end, what was stopping him from stabbing her in the back while she slept? Kat didn't know him, and she was never able to trust people that she didn't knew.

She needed people that would be easy to manipulate, or to even use as a human-shield, when the time came. Her district partner might not be the strongest one around, but he wouldn't do. At least not for now.

"I-I d-don't m-mind. It's up to you, K-Katarina." _Yes idiot, I figured that much._ The only thing stopping her from rolling her eyes was the fact that she needed Cara on her side, and for that to happen, she had to treat Kaneki like an equal.

Putting the saddest face that she could find, Katarina turned to him. "I'm s-so sorry, but I can't. I don't want it to come down to the two of us, in the end. I w-would never be able to hurt you. I mean, I might not know you but you're from home. Killing you would be like killing whatever I had left of District Five. I-I'm sorry."

 _Perfect._

Kaneki looked away, but Kat could tell that he was about to cry. For a split second, she almost allowed herself to feel sorry for him. _Almost._ But this was The Hunger Games, and nice guys finished last. No matter what she did, she couldn't allow herself to feel sorry for anyone. No, not right now. Not when there was work to be done.

Cara sighed. "Kaneki, why don't you wait for me in your room? I'll just talk a little bit with Kat over here, and I'll be there in a second." The boy nodded and a second later, he was gone.

"You did a nice choice, you know?" _Well, I wasn't expecting this one. Maybe I did manage to get her on my side, after all. "_ I'm sure there are much better alliance options for someone like you."

"Someone like me?" Kat asked. Cara was much more like her than what Kat had realized at first, it seems. Maybe, all it would take to win was to have someone exactly like her by her side.

An hint of a smirk appeared on Cara's face. "Someone who understands the Game, and that is willing to play by the rules to win. I wouldn't be suprised if we managed to bring another Victor home this year."

This time, it was Kat's turn to smile. "I have to go and check on Kaneki, but why don't you re-watch the reapings? Pick your team, and we can go from there. You have a chance, Katarina. Please don't waste it."

 _Don't worry, I won't._

* * *

 **A/N:** Not late with this one, uhm? I suppose that finally being out of the pre-reaping stuff made this easier to write, or I just like the Capitol? Yeah, something like that. Okay, anyway, hope that everyone likes chapter. POVs are now only three, but they're bigger, as you can see. 7 more of this chapters and we'll be in the games! xD (I am so excited. Really am.)

I'll try and update again on Monday, but since my birthday is tomorrow ( a review as a birthday gift wouldn't go unnoticed ;D ), I can't make any promises. But yeah, Monday or Tuesday, we'll see about that. Okay, have a nice weekend, everyone. Enjoy the beggining of the wonderful month also known as August.

See you soon, with the Chariot Rides!


	11. Take Back My Life

**Chapter Eleven.**  
 **Chariot Rides.**

* * *

 **Sadie Ariste; 18 years old.**  
 **District Two Female.**

* * *

That was absolutely unbelievable.

Sadie tapped her fingers on her hip, trying to distract herself with something. Anything that would kept her from thinking about what was happening behind closed doors, with their mentors and Nikolai. Their attention, and most of their efforts, were all on Nikolai Faustus. Sadie had seen him around, a girl or two following him around, but she had never thought he would be something special. He wasn't even part of the Academy, and the end of the day, all of District Two's attention was on him.

Nikolai Faustus, the suprise volunteer. No one ever thought that a blacksmith's son would ever be so interesting, or even have the guts to volunteer for the Hunger Games. That was why Karter and Brutus hadn't left Nikolai's side since the two of the them walked into the train. Questions about this, questions about that. But Sadie could see behind the whole deal. Nikolai was just a little boy, trying to prove that he was worth something. Trying to prove that he was more than a blacksmith's son.

In a way, Sadie respected that. Those were the people like her, the ones that actually took the matter into their hands, and didn't sit around to wait for someone to do it for them. Like her whore of a mother, for exemple. All she had to do was to open her legs, and men would give her everything that she ever wanted. While Sadie, she had to work hard. Do whatever it took to get where, and she did, and never once did Sadie care about the consequences.

This was her life. This was what she choose to do it, and to hell with anyone that thought Sadie Ariste would just be another death in the Hunger Games. Gone, forgotten forever. _Yeah, right._ Not if she had any say in the matter. So, in a way, she could respect Nikolai, if he was really here to prove something. But she couldn't. Not here, not now, where trusting anyone was as good as jumping out of her pedestal before the Games even began.

It would get her killed. Trust would get her killed, and Sadie refused to die like that, stabbed in the back by someone she needed to call an ally. Not like that. She would die, yes, but sixty or seventy years from then, back home, in Victor's village.

Around her, tributes kept to themselves, and either talked quietly to their district partners or mentors. She had been watching the Ones, surronded by the famous De'Montfort siblings, and a bunch of stylists and their escort.

They were always born on the right side of the world. The idiots from District One, so arrogant that it made Sadie's blood boil, always got what they wanted. Hell, they shouldn't even be considered a proper Career District and still, they had more Victors than District Two ever did. Not to mention that they always got the best chariot costumes. Aidan and Alexa, Sadie had learned her fellow Career's names back in the train, were covered in gold robes and with so much glitter that Sadie's eyes were starting to hurt just by looking at them.

Unlike Sadie's district, who had gotten an idiot for a stylist, and ended up dressing both of them as rocks. _Rocks,_ she had said, _to represent how the two of you are the best that District Two has to offer._ When Sadie had told her that she would rather go naked than to go dressed as a fucking rock, the woman had the guts to talk back to her.

 _We can't have you go naked out there, representing District Two while all the others have wonderful costumes._ Sadie was almost completely sure that if she went naked, rather than dressing as a rock, the men in the Capitol would be lining up to sponsor her. Who knew, maybe even the women in the Capitol had some weird tastes, and would like to sponsor an eighteen year old girl from District Two.

A smirk found its way to Sadie's first, and she started to feel less annoyed. The thought made her feel much better, made her go back to her number one spot in there. All of the teenagers around her, even her fellow Careers, they meant nothing. Sadie was the best, and no one could stop her once they got into the Games. By then, she would prove them that they should have placed their bets on her, and not Nikolai. Sadie was the future Career leader. The future Victor.

"A pretty girl like you shouldn't be all alone." Sadie turned towards the direction of voice, looking directly at Jasko Quinn, who was leaning on her own chariot. Sadie looked him up and down, and couldn't help but want to vomit. Four always used the same idea. Whenever they got a tribute that resembled Finnick Odair in any way, they sent the boy to the parade almost naked, hoping for another Victor.

"You'll learn soon enough that I'm much more than a pretty face, Four." She turned away from him, looking back into the District One chariot, and realized that it was now empty, save for the mentors and escort, chatting next to it. _Right._ This was supposed to be the time where the Career aliance met each other, and managed to create some kind of agreement for the short time that they would be in the Games. And once again, her district partner wasn't in here.

 _But, if he wasn't in here, t-that could only mean one thing..._

 _"_ This is Aidan and Alexa," He said, pointing in turn. "I'm Jasko Quinn and this is my district partner, Tiena." The smaller girl next to him gave Sadie a small nod, but she didn't seem too interested about any of this. Bored, exactly like Sadie.

"So, we're all good? The usual alliance?" The taller boy from One asked, glancing from Sadie to Jasko, when he noticed that Nikolai wasn't where he was supposed to be. "Your district partner, Sadie? Any idea if he's joining us?"

 _Do I look like I give a fuck? Because I surely do not._

"I don't know, and I don't really care," She replied, hoping that the chariots would start soon, when an idea came to mind. This didn't have to be completely boring... Sadie had to stop herself from smirking. "I don't know much about him, to be completely honest with all of you. He wasn't supposed to volunteer, and never really trained in the Academy, so none of us know what to expect from him."

Alexa raised an eyebrow. "So he didn't train? But still volunteered, from what I remember." Sadie nodded. Maybe, if that girl kept asking the right questions, Sadie could ruin her district partner's place in the alliance.

Yes, yes, she could see it now. With the right words and using a few tricks that she had learned back home, Sadie could get rid of Nikolai. He would just be another rat. Another one that she could take care of in the bloodbath and then, the crown for the District Two Victor would be hers, and hers alone.

"No, he didn't. None of us know what to expect from him, not even our mentors. Maybe we shouldn't let him in?" All of the others were glancing back at her, but only some of them looked completely assured that Nikolai shouldn't be in the alliance. She couldn't rest, not until he was out of the alliance. It was when step closer to home, one step closer to taking back her life.

"Maybe we shouldn't." Before she could reply, Jasko got in the middle, a small smirk on his face. "Ladies, ladies, let's not make any decision before we see what the boy can do, alright?"

"Who died and made you the leader?" Sadie asked, doing her best to remain calm. She hated assholes like him, who got everything they wanted, just because they had the luck of being born with a pretty face. Sadie did to, but she didn't relay on her looks to get everything done in her life. They were simply a weapon, something that she could use when everything else failed.

Some people were not so easy to manipulate. Some required other tricks, things that Sadie wouldn't tell anyone else if she hoped to keep her reputation. "I'm not the leader, Sadie. That will be decided tomorrow, when we're all together in training and we have seen what each of us can do. Right now, I'm just someone making the fair decision."

His eyes met hers and right there, Sadie knew that the alliance wouldn't last very long in the Games. She wouldn't be able to stand Jasko for a long time, and there would come a time, where her rapier would find its way to his throat and the Career alliance would be over. But not now. later, much later. "Right now, we focus on the chariot ride. We're better than them, so remember to show it." Jasko turned to leave, Tiena at his side but at the least moment, he turned back to Sadie.

"Oh and.. nice outfit, Sadie. It suits your personality."

"I'm pretty sure you'll like it even more after I break your face." Jasko threw his head back, and started to laugh. Sadie turned back into her chariot, ignoring all of the others. This was her time, and no one else's.

* * *

 **Tyson Moretta; 18 years old.**  
 **District Twelve Male.**

* * *

In a place like the Capitol, Tyson never thought that he would actually be suprised.

He would come prepared to face it all; from the tributes, to training, to the arena. Like always, it was not like Tyson had any say in the matter. His family depended on him, and if he wanted to see them again, he had to face the other tributes. He had to face the fact that everyone else around him would die but him, and that was the best option. That's what Tyson wanted to believe in, since he arrived in the Capitol.

That was what his family and friends needed him to believe in, if he was ever making it back home. Tyson knew that they didn't really need him, the people of District Twelve just needed someone to look up, and Tyson happened to be the one that they decided to choose as their leader. They never asked him what he wanted, or if he was alright with it.

A teenage boy from the Seam, who did his best to help their family in everything he could, was supposed to lead the people of District Twelve. He was supposed to be there for him, and in the end, they looked up to him. Whatever he did, they followed. That's why he considered his reaction in the reaping, and then in the goodbyes. He wanted to cry, he wanted to kick someone and curse his life for being so unfair, but he didn't. Because his family and friends were looking up to him, and if he fell apart, so would they.

Tyson was no leader, but he couldn't do that one thing. He could do his very best to make it back home, but it was all because of them. They were his motivation, his strenght and while he was alive, he wouldn't allow his family to fall apart. They would remain together, just like the real family they were. And if Tyson had to kill everyone in there, then so be it.

Family was family, and even if they didn't understand each other sometimes, blood was thicker than water. Family was worth fighting for, no matter what he had to sacrifice. His father's handshake, his mother's trust on him, his brother's smile, it was all that would keep him going, when things got bad. When he started to doubt himself, he had to think of them. This wasn't District Twelve anymore, where he couldn't hide his insecurities behind a mask and hope people would leave him alone.

This was the Capitol, and if he was going to let his insecurities get to him, then he was good as dead. And most of all, his family was good as gone too. They needed him, like his brother had reminded him in the goodbyes, or they would have no one else to look up too. They would fall apart, each to their own way, and the Moretta family would be no more.

Tyson couldn't let that happen.

Maybe, just maybe, the Games could make him someone better than who he currently was. They could make him the leader that he was supposed to be and then, he could return home with his head held high. He would finally be the boy, no not the boy, he would finally be the man that they needed him to be. He would no longer by Tyson Moretta, the teenager from the Seam. He would be Tyson Moretta, the Victor.

But first, he needed to get throught the Games. _One step at a time,_ Tyson reminded himself. Right now, he needed to get throught the Chariot Rides and give the Capitol a reason to love him; to cheer for him, and root for him. He needed that this week that they spent in the Capitol wouldn't matter much. Fine, they could pick up some skills that would help them survive, but it wouldn't truly matter in the end.

The Careers would always have the advantage, no matter how the rest of them tried. But in the end, when they were all killing each other in whatever hell the Gamemakers had planned for them, the Capitol would cheer for those that got a kill. For those that enjoyed it, or at least, for those that pretended to enjoy it.

He would do it. Not all for himself, because his life wasn't worth that much. He was just a boy from the Seam, doing his best to stay alive in the world of Panem. But why did he deserve to live more than the others did? He didn't. All twenty-four of them deserved to live, because they were still teenagers, and didn't ask to be here. Even the Careers, who trained and actually enjoyed it, didn't deserved to die.

Tyson didn't hate the Careers, he couldn't, because it was not their fault, in the end. He envied them, because if he was trained like they were, it would made it so much easier. _But I'm not. And if I want to win, I need to play as dirty as they will._

 _"Tributes, report back to your chariots. The tribute parade is about to begin."_

For the first time since the reaping, his district partner turned to him. "D-do you think they'll like us?" Amaryllis Carmelia, the 16 year old merchant girl, was a suprise to Tyson since her name had been called. Amaryllis was considered District Twelve "royalty", if such thing existed. The girl had a lot of friends, and basically, helped everyone she could in the district. Gave them money, food, clothes, everything that Tyson could name. She was basically a saint, if there was someone that didn't desserve being in here, it was her.

But at the reaping, she broke. She kicked and she punched and in that moment, she broke. Tyson guessed that after so many years of pretending, all the strings inside of her broke. And now, she was only working on the will to live. Still, there was something in her eyes, a hint of sadness, that made Tyson think again. No, he didn't want anyone else depending on him.

In here, he had a chance to be someone else. People didn't knew him, and they didn't look up to him as a leader. He had a chance of being all he ever wanted to be, and that was just being Tyson, the boy from District Twelve. But that girl was from home, and because of that, she was already a friend. What kind of person would he be if he promised to fight for his people, and let that girl die alone?

He couldn't. He wouldn't. "Of course they will. I mean, how could they not like Amaryllis Carmelia?" She almost gasped, and tyson had to grab her by the wrist to keep her from falling from the chariot.

"You know me?" She asked. People from the Seam and the Merchant side rarely got together, and when they did, it only created confusion. Some fell in love, and left the Merchants to marry someone from the Seam. Some destroyed each other. Either way, both sides didn't work together, unless it was a special time. Like the Hunger Games, for exemple.

Tyson laughed. "Of course I do. How could I not remember a girl as beautiful as you, and one that also happens to be the Amaryllis Carmelia?" It was like a new Amaryllis replaced the old one, for a second. She put on a bright smile, and Tyson could see why she was considered to be so beautiful. The coal that their stylists had dripped over them gave her a new look. Made her even more beautiful, Tyson noticed.

"Now, put on a smile. Let's show them that District Twelve should never be overlooked." And suddenly, District One moved foward and it was starting, with all of the others quickly following. Amaryllis almost tripped on her dress and fell down, but Tyson grabbed her.

"Careful. This things are tricky. " He laughed and soon, she followed. There, it was happening again. He had laughed and Amaryllis quickly did the same, following his lead. It was already too late, Tyson realized. This girl already depended on him and no matter what, she always would.

"I'll catch you if you catch me, though." She replied, but Tyson knew it was so much more than a joke. It was a proposal for an alliance, for sticking together until the end. Or at least, until they could.

"Consider that a promise, _princess,"_ Tyson pointed to the balcony to their left, where their mentor said that he would be. "Let's show Haymitch that we can be much better than he expects us to be." Tyson started waving around, blowing kisses right and left, doing anything that he could to make them like him. Amaryllis did the same thing, and minutes later, she flashed him a smile. A _thank you_ smile. _Thank you for reminding me of who I truly am._

Maybe, they could help each other, and she could help Tyson figure out who he truly was.

* * *

 **Preston Hewitt; 17 years old.**  
 **District Six Male.**

* * *

"I would do her," Preston said, pointing at the girl from District Four as she passed by. "And him." He continued, pointing at the boy. "In fact, Ithink I would do all of the Careers. They're so hot, I mean, look at their bodies. If only my stupid stylist would have allowed us to go naked out here..." He winked at Ryella, from where he was standing. They were leaning casually against their chariot, waiting for their mentors to arrive, so they could all go back to the District Six floor.

"I'm sure you are not very bad to look at either, Ryella." The girl sighed, but Preston knew that she was more than done with me. He didn't care a single bit, though. This was Preston being Preston, and he would change for no one. This was him, and to hell with anyone that didn't like it. He couldn't change, not in here. If he lost his old-self, if he lost the real Preston Hewitt, then everything else would be lost.

He would be lost. And in a place like The Hunger Games, Preston couldn't let that happen. "Thank you, Preston." Ryella replied. "I'm sure you're not that bad, either." He winked, and leaned in closer to her. "Well, if you want to prove that theory right, I'm all yours after midnight."

She leaned away from him and stood on her toes for a second, looking behind Preston. Probably to see if their mentors would come, and they would finally be able to leave. Well, Ryella would finally be able to leave. Preston didn't have this much fun in years, and if it were up to him, he would stay here forever. He had no interested in training, or the Games, for that matter. _This was suposed to be the fun part,_ his stylist had said, while she fixed his hair.

This was the part where the Capitol was supposed to decide who they liked; who was dangerous, and who they should cheer for. Preston knew that he had made a good first impression, the cheers and roses he had received had told him that, but it was always good to be better. To try to be better than the others, even the Careers.

They had everything, while the people in the Districts had to fight for everything. Preston had heard whispers of rebellion, here and there, but he knew that nothing could truly ever work out. They needed a leader, someone to tell them what was right and wrong, and what they needed to do to take the Capitol down. Preston would join the rebellion, if it ever came down to it. If there was anything that he hatd, it was the Capitol.

They use deaths of innocent children as a sport, and that, Preston would never forgive. He would love nothing more than watching them all die, one by one.

Not to mention that this was a chance for him, a chance to make a better life. Preston had always thought that his life would remain just like it already was, without much of a change. Work, and make sure his siblings got everything they needed to have a long and happy life. Maybe get married, if any woman had enough patience for him, that was.

But now, the Games gave him another chance. If he won, his siblings would never have to worry about anything in their whole life. They would be able to grow up happy, safe, and in their new home in Victor's Village. Preston had realized a few years ago that it was probably the only place in the whole district that wasn't filled with drugs, and people dying every single second. The Victor's Village was like the District's santuary from all of the problems that attacked Panem and if he had a chance to live there, then he surely wouldn't waste it.

"So Ryella," Preston started. "Did anyone catch your eye yet?" He didn't need allies. Well, maybe it would be nice to have someone to watch his back when the time came, but he didn't really need them. He didn't really need to rely on others for success, since he could easily operate on his own if necessary, and was definitely resourceful enough to do that. All of his life, he had be alone. He had gone throught everything that the life on District Six had throwed at him, and had survived.

It made him stronger, and it made him tougher. That's why he didn't need anyone to protect him, because Preston learned to do that himself, since he was eleven years old. He wasn't particular interested in allying with Ryella, but maybe, it would be a good option. He was just interested in knowing if anyone had caught her eye, form an opinion on them, and then go from there.

"Certantly not you." She said.

"Can you be more fucking rude? Here I was, trying to be nice, but apparently it's impossible with you." Ryella had fire, Preston would give that to her. She looked like someone that would be willing to do what needed to be done, but in the end, both of them were. Both of them had a family to come back to, plans, a future that could have been bright if their name had not been called at the reaping. They had a lot in common, but in the end, they were also very different.

"Can you learn to keep your mouth shut, Preston? You are quite annoying." Preston knew she was right, but he couldn't care less. This was who he was, and it wasn't his dear district partner that would finally change him. Preston knew that the Games would change him, there was no escaping from there. He could only fight as he went, and hope to keep a bit of himself. Keep a bit of his soul, or humanity, or whatever that shit was.

He never believed that. If there some God left in the world, there would be no Hunger Games, because teenagers didn't deserve to pay for what people did almost hundred years ago. He had seen so much misery and pain and heartbreak back home, that it honestly didn't matter to him anymore. He was numb to all of it, and that was why he acted the way he did.

It made him feel better, and it made him feel less guilty that he didn't help anyone that got in his way. But he couldn't do it, not there, not in Panem. He had his family to look after, and he also had to look after himself. It was a mask, and after so long, Preston wasn't sure if it wasn't already part of him. "Thank you, Ryella. You have so much charm, too. It blinds my eyes."

Ryella looked like she was about to punch him right in the face, but Preston had always loved that. When they got angry, that was the best part. He would just keep pushing, and pushing, until they would finally break. Ryella, though, she wouldn't be easy to break. Preston liked that. He respected that, more than anything in the world. Suddenly, Ryella turned to him. "You know what, Preston? Let's make a deal."

Preston laughed. "Oh, deals! Yes, let's do that! I love deals. Does it involve any of us taking our clothes off?" Ryella ignored him completely.

"You stay away from me, and I'll stay away from you. Just like that? No more trouble." He ended up agreeing. For now, anyway. His district partner would need him, and then, he would be the one to turn his back on her.

"Will do. Remember that when you need my help in the arena." He winked, and left, meeting his mentor along the way. So far, he had so much fun and it was only starting. For the first time since his name was called, Preston was willing to play the Games. It didn't mean that he would play by the rules, though.

* * *

 **A/N:** This was quite fast, but yeah, let me know what you thought! Next up, training!


	12. Fire Meet Gasoline

**Chapter Twelve.**  
 **Training - Day One.**

* * *

 ** **Jasko Quinn; 18 years old.**  
District Four Male.**

* * *

The big moment had finally arrived.

As Jasko and Tiena walked to the training center, passing throught some tributes along the way, he couldn't help it but feel excited. This was about him now, about Jasko Quinn and no one else. People looked at him, and they cheered for him. This was his moment, but first, there were necessary things that he had to do. Get throught training, throught the interviews, and then to the Games. Right now, he had to focus on getting the aliance under control.

Sorting them into the groups, and deciding which ones were worthy and which one were not. From what Jasko had observed for the few minutes that he knew them, this alliance wouldn't last much. One member short already, and the Games were still on the beggining. He could watch his own back, of course, but he needed some of them on his side. Some of them that would be with him, whenever that District Two girl decided to break the alliance apart.

She might be dangerous, but he was Jasko Quinn, and Jasko Quinn wasn't afraid of little girls from District Two with a big ego.

Tiena was by his side, lost in her own thoughts, but that wasn't anything new. He liked the girl, but if he was going to win, she would have to die. All twenty-three of them, dead by his feet, and Jasko would be the only one standing. The Victor, the best of the best. By then, there would be no one able to drag him down. The thought made Jasko feel like he was back in Four, and about to steal his favorite candy from a baby.

Once they reached the main entrance to the training center, Jasko placed a hand in front of Tiena, making her stop right there. "I just need to fix my hair, I mean, the winning District's tributes must look their best, right?" When Tiena only nodded, Jasko sighed. He ran a hand throught his hair, and using the glass door as a mirror, he smiled in approval. Now, he looked his best. Now, he was ready to face all of them. "Now we can go."

The remaining Careers were already gathered in there, save for Sadie's district partner, again. Jasko opened his mouth to greet her, but Sadie quickly turned away, focusing on the sword station, a few meters away from her. That was the only thing that they really had in common, Jasko and Sadie. Both of them would gladly skip the training part, and go straight to the Games. All five of them were Careers, and no one of them needed the three days of training.

They already knew how things worked, and what they had to do. As the remaing tributes started to arrive, Jasko couldn't help but notice that they had one thing in common. Either young or old, naive or smart, they didn't know what was about to happen. They didn't know what they would have to go throught, who they would have to see die, if they ever wanted to make it home to their families.

Careers like Jasko were already prepared, and maybe, that was their biggest advantage. "Look at him," Jasko whispered to Tiena, as soon as the Head Trainer sent them away, the clock already ticking. It all resumed to a clock; their lives, their time in the Capitol, and how long they would last in the Games. Twenty-three of their clocks were already ticking down. "He's small, and doesn't look comfortable at all. Is he a Career?"

Tiena lifted an eyebrow. "Depends if he's trained like us, or not. Appearance isn't everything, Jasko. Might mean a lot for us, but for them, it's not nothing." He couldn't agree with her, but mostly, he didn't want to agree with her. Appearance was everything to Jasko, because it got him where he was now. Alongside with his skills, appearance got him here, as the District Four male for the seventy second Hunger Games.

He flashed her smile, the special one that he kept saved for girls that were exactly like her. "Oh but that's where you're wrong, dear Tiena. How you look might mean the difference between a sponsor gift, that may or may not save your life. Just look at Finnick."

Tiena cringed, a few seconds before the District One pair appeared, with Sadie quickly following them. "Finnick was the only case, Jasko. And if you think that you're as beautiful as him, you're more deluded than what I thought you were."

Sadie cleared her throat, placing herself in the middle of the little circle that the four of them were already forming. "Sorry to interrupt your petty little chat, but we've got more important matters to discuss right now." Right there, Jasko could see it. She was strong, tough, and the perfect leader. Right now, he didn't mind it. Whoever was picked as the leader didn't matter, at least, not for now. Who knew if they were all alive at the end of the bloodbath? It was about chances. All about choices.

When nobody else answered, Sadie continued. "I'm leading right now, and if no one has anything to say about it, I shall do the same in the Games." For a second, there was silence. Aidan and Alexa nodded, followed by Tiena. Sadie's eyes were only on Jasko, like they should always be.

"Right now, I think it's a good choice," Jasko flashed her a smile. "But who knows about what will happen in the Games. Who knows if we'll all be alive at the end of the bloodbath. It's all about ifs in the Games, dearest Sadie."

A frown appeared on Sadie's face. "Is that a threat?"

Jasko had to stop himself from grinning. He was getting to her, and when he truly did, Jasko couldn't wait to see her explode. It would be so much fun. "Only if your pretty little head wants to take it as one."

"My pretty little head is currently considering the most painful way to end your vanity-based life." Jasko laughed, and Sadie was about to throw herself at him, when Alexa placed a hand on her shoulder. Jasko barely heard her say, "Not worth it."

"Good, Sadie, that's good. Let all of that anger out. I'm sure you'll be a much more interesting person when it's all out." This time, due to Alexa's help, Sadie ignored him completely and continued. "I think we should all discuss if my district partner belongs in here, or not. I already gave my opinion yesterday, but please, go ahead."

Tiena stepped foward. "Tell him to go come over here, then. We'll decide if he's worth it or not. After all, he might be trained, just like us."

Sadie nodded. "Hey, Faustus! Come over here. We would like to have a word with you." With the way she spoke, Jasko was sure that nearly half of the training center heard her. "Maybe try to speak louder, Sadie? I'm sure that the others didn't hear our whole strategy yet."

She didn't even bother to face him this time." Maybe try to jump off your pedestal earlier, Quinn? I'm sure the outliers wouldn't mind one less Career before the Games even started."

He smirked. "You wish, _princess."_ When Nikolai arrived, Jasko realized how small the boy was. He wasn't nothing compared to Jasko, or even to Sadie. "Hello, Nikolai." Jasko started. "It's absolutely nice to meet the person that the lovely Sadie as spoken so much about."

Tiena, as always, went straight to the point. "Are you trained? Sadie claimed you didn't train in the Academy with her." Nikolai slowly nodded, but he stood tal and proud. Almost like he was proud that he wasn't one of them. That he wasn't a Career."

"My family supplies the weapons to your Academy," He said. "I make weapons, I don't use them." The idea started to place itself on Jasko's mind, but for it to happen, that boy couldn't be in the Career alliance. "So you're not trained?" Jasko asked.

"A little bit, but nothing compared to what you have in your Academy." He looked at something behind Jasko, like he was already wanting to get out of there. Already wanting to be out of the mess that was the Career Pack. "I'm sorry, but we can't have you in our alliance."

"Yeah, you heard him. Get lost, Faustus." Sadie added, but she couldn't keep the grin out of her face. Jasko was already starting to realize what kind of person Sadie was, and what made her who she was. "Whatever. I never wanted to be in the alliance in the first place." He turned his back on them before any of them could say another word.

"Well, now that's solved, we have something else to talk about. I believe everyone already trained with every weapon around here, so that shouldn't be much of a problem. Build bridges with each other, play cards, I don't care. Just look for enemies, from the threats we'll have to eliminate as soon as we're in the arena." When she left, Tiena and Alexa looked at each other, nodded and quickly followed after their leader.

"Looks like the girls are sticking together, uhm? Wanna do one of those spear simulations?" Aidan nodded, and they left for the spear station. Right now, they had each other's backs, but in the arena, Jasko would be the first one to turn on them. That was a promise.

* * *

 ** **Sedna Orwell; 17 years old.**  
District Seven Female.**

* * *

So far, luck was on her side.

The best part about not standing out was the she could do whatever she wanted, without anyone bothering her. But so far, training had been a disappointment. Despite the axes, Sedna wasn't really able to find a weapon that she could work with. The axe was nearly an extension of her arm already, and the Games came, at least she would have that. Her district partner had also been trying his luck with the axes but when the trainer claimed that he was a lost cause, Hex ran away to the fire station, and Sedna could swear that she saw tears in his eyes.

She couldn't blame him, though. Not many people were cut out for the games, and those who didn't, well, they needed to have the strenght to hold on until their time came. Sedna couldn't blame him for giving up this early, after all, he was just a thirteen year old, that somehow got reaped for a death match. The youngest tribute, too. It must have been hard, being the one that everyone thought had absolutely no chance. The one that everyone thought was destined to die in the bloodbath.

Sedna had decided that she would fight, the moment her name was reaped. They had picked her, and now she was going to give them the fight that they wanted, no matter what happened. But with every passing second; whenever she failed at knocking a dummy down with a sword, or throwing a knife, Sedna could feel that determination slipping away. The others were Careers, trained by the best, and she was a single girl from District Seven.

If the others couldn't do it, why would she?

 _No, no._ Sedna shaked her head, picking up a spear. _I just need to keep myself busy, that's all._ Sedna gripped the spear by the middle, and after relaxing her arm, she threw. The spear hit the dummy with a loud thump, but crashed to the ground, a few seconds later. Sedna sighed, and was about to pick up another one, when another girl picked it up for her.

She was tall, with freakish red hair, wrapped up in a ponytail. Sedna couldn't say that the girl was particulary beautiful, or smart, but she was surely noticeable. But right now, she was stealing her training space. And someone that got in the way of Sedna's training would surely have to pay for the fact that she was having a bad day. A bad month, for that matter.

But right now, she was going to watch how the girl did. And if she did well, Sedna was open to an alliance. The girl threw the spear faster than Sedna did, and impressively enough, it actually stuck in the dummy. It wasn't a bullseye, but it was something. A few seconds later, the girl moved to pick up another spear, completely ignoring Sedna.

Sedna frowned. There was something called manners, and even in the Hunger Games, ignoring someone else was completely rude. Hell, she could be dead in less than a week, but right now, she was going to teach this girl some manners. "Excuse me." Sedna waited, but the girl didn't even spare a glance her way. She might have been a simple tribute in the Hunger Games, but she wasn't about to take anyone's bullshit. She had avoid it all of her while, and she was about to start right now.

"You're excused," She replied, still not looking in Sedna's direction. Yeah, that girl must be playing her, that was it. _Well, suit yourself._ Sedna thought. _Two can play the game, doll._

Sedna ignored her, but she knew that this wouldn't last much. From here, she could either get an enemy or a precious ally for the Games. Whatever that was, it was up to that strange girl, who could become an enemy or a friend. "I didn't catch your name yet, doll."

Sedna noticed a light blush appearing on the girl's cheeks, and maybe, there was a hint of a smile in there. It was either that, or Sedna was finally going mad, after so many years of playing with fire. Oh well. If she was going mad, then she already had her fun. The thought of fun brought something else to Sedna's mind... Thane, she missed him so much. Closing her eyes for a second, Sedna pictured her brother, from his cheeky smiles to his bear hugs, and the thought gave her strenght to face all of this.

Strenght to make this girl an ally. "That's probably because I didn't throw it _yet."_ Whatever determination she had to ally with this girl was gone the second that the words left her mouth.

"You know, I was just trying to train, but it seems that ego took over the entire place. I'll find something else." She turned to leave, but in that second, the girl finally turned to face her.

"You know, maybe my ego would like to have another ego to train with," The girl bursted out laughing, and offered her hand for Sedna to shake. "I'm Leila, District Ten. And if you think that wasn't nothing, wait until I truly mess with you."

That actually brought a smile to Sedna's face. "Well, to be fair, you were being a bit of a bitch. Sneaking up on me like that, and then ignoring me until I finally decided to take my chances and talk. I'm Sedna, by the way. District Seven."

"Yep, that's me. Biggest bitch you'll ever meet." It was only then that Sedna noticed that Leila wasn't staring at her, but at something right below her neck. Her...chest? What the hell did she get herself into?

"Uhmm... are you checking me out?" Leila blushed deep red, but quickly composed herself. "Yeah, you wish you were hot enough for me to check out." Yep, there was her bitchy side. Even if she was weird as hell, Sedna found herself liking this girl more and more, with every passing second. "Er... maybe."

 _Oh. "_ That explains why you turned down your hotty district partner, then."

Leila looked almost suprised. "Oh, trust me, Coulter is everything but hot, once you truly get to know him. Not that I would know much about that, he is not really my type."

Sedna smirked. "You're into the other type, uhm? I don't think I ever meet a bitchy lesbian before. It's truly an amazing day for suprises, don't you think?"

Leila agreed. "Truly. So are you in, or not? Hopefully, such a pretty girl like you is not making me waste my time in a sorry excuse for an alliance."

Sedna laughed loudly. "Sorry excuse? Well, if you're not happy, then go find someone else. I'm sure there are many boys in there that would accept you as an excuse to get in your pants, only to be truly disappointed when they figure out that you're not into them."

With seemed like an eternity before Leila answered again, her light Brown eyes never leaving Sedna's. "I picked you. I could have picked any of them, but I choosed you. Don't doubt that I wouldn't gladly drag you to a bed and show you everything I have, because I would. I picked you because you were the only one taking this seriously enough, and I have a feeling you also have someone else to come back to, just like me."

Sedna didn't know if she should answer or not. "I-I do," She admitted. "My brother, Thane. He's my best friend in the world, and I promised him I would come back to him, no matter what it took." It felt weird, telling her whole life to a stranger like this, but in a way, Leila wasn't a stranger anymore. "You?"

Leila sighed, and for a moment, she looked older than seventeen. "My girl. Her name is Sadie, and well, she's the most gorgeous thing in the whole world. And it sucks, because I have never been good with feelings, but now I'll never have a chance to tell her that I love her. More than anything."

Sedna placed an arm around her shoulder. "Hey, you have a chance. I can teach you how to throw an axe, and you can teach me how you did that little stunt with the spear." A little smile appeared on Leila's face.

"That was only to impress you, but hey, I guess I can do it again." She sighed deeply. "And if you ally with me, I promise not to hit on you.. that much."

Sedna smirked. "You got yourself a deal, District Ten." As they walked side by side to the sword station, Sedna couldn't help but feel a little bit happier. She would fight, and even more now that she got someone that was more like her than Sedna could start to imagine. They weren't the strongest, but maybe two girls with a liking to saying whatever they wanted, could work together to get what they wanted.

To go home.

* * *

 ** **Niamh Gregora; 16 years old.**  
District Nine Female.**

* * *

Was it the right thing to do?

The question had been playing back and forth in Niamh's head, since the moment that she had left District Nine. No, since the moment that she had volunteered. Deep down, she knew that it was the right thing to do. After all, that was her job, to protect Toria from anything that cause her harm. But also, it had stopped being a job long ago. Protecting Tori was something that she had to do, not anything else.

But right now, she was here. She had left District Nine behind her, for what would probably be forever. Toria... she would be better without Niamh. She had a boyfriend, a good and promising guy, and would marry him as soon as she got out of the reapings. Niamh... she would only stand in the way, stopping Tori from having the future that she deserved,

With a husband, children, and a good home. That was something that Niamh would never be able to give her, no matter who hard she tried. Even if Tori felt the same way about her, they could never be together. Not that she did, anyway. But that didn't mean that Niamh wouldn't fight, because she would.

Her promise to protect Tori was forever, and Niamh wasn't someone that broke her promises that easily. Or in any way, for that matter. She wanted an alliance, but so far, no one had stood out enough. Or maybe, Niamh was the one that didn't stood out. Being the only outer-district volunteer, Niamh was worried that people would pay much attention to her. That the Careers would target her, and try to take her out in the Bloodbath. Until now, they had left her alone.

Ignoring her, and doing their job. After all, it was only the first day of training. Only a few alliances had formed yet, and nothing that Niamh thought was truly special. The girls from Seven and Ten were together in the spear stations, the Careers were split, the girls were in the swords and the two boys trained together. The only other alliance was the pair from Twelve, sticking together at the rope station, but they didn't looked like they knew what they were doing that much.

 _I could help them,_ she thought. She knew a few things about ropes and stuff, something that she had learned when she was designed the job of protecting Toria. It was nothing special, but it could give her a place in their alliance. But did she really want them? The boy was tall and looked tough, but his expression told her other wise. The girl, well, she didn't much but to cringe whenever she did something wrong.

Someone to have her back. That's what she needed. Right before she turned to walk over to them, someone called out. "Niamh! How is my favorite red-head today?" She rolled her eyes. Oliver was annoying as hell, but he was her district partner. She couldn't leave him behind just yet, just in case.

"Oliver, you saw me like one hour ago. My mood doesn't change that easily."

He placed an arm around her shoulders, leading her towards the sword station. "I know, but I was just wondering if you had found someone worth allying it? You know, my offer for an alliance between the two of us still stands. We would rock the entire arena together. District Nine pride and all of that." His wink made her sick to her stomach. Yeah, he was good looking and all of that, but whenever she looked at him, all Niamh could think about was Pax, and all the things he would do to Tori...

 _All the thing that Niamh wanted to do to her._ "And my answer still stands. I'm looking for someone better, and so are you. If we don't find anyone, we'll stick together. Simple as that. Oh, and by the way? I think you should try the boy from Ten. He looks strong."

Oliver grinned from ear to ear. "And he's pretty hot, too. I'll see you later, Niamh." _Yeah. Much later, hopefully._ Walking over to District Twelve, Niamh took deep breaths. She stopped a little bit behind them, watching. It turned out that the girl had no idea how to make a good not, and whenever she tried and failed, the boy told her that he could do better. _Keep trying._

"Uhmm, hi." They turned to her at the same time, but their reactions were quite different. The boy gave her a shy smile, and turned back to his rope. The girl, however, sighed in a relief. "Oh, a girl! Finally someone that looks at us like we're more than street rats. Sweetheart, please, come over here." Before she could do anything else, the girl pulled over to the little shelter that the two of them had built.

"He's so rude, you know," The blonde whispered to her, pointing to the boy. If this was any other situation, she would gladly be happy that she was this close to a girl. And a hot one, for that matter. "But he has been helping me ever since we got here, but oh god, it's so nice to have another girl here."

"Amy, let the girl breath for a second. We don't even know what she's here for." The look that the girl gave him could make possibly anyone shudder in fear, but to Niamh, it wasn't much. "Amaryllis will do trick, darling. Don't listen to him and try to cal me Amy. My name is beautiful enough already, I don't need people shortening it."

Niamh nodded. "You have such pretty hair.," Amaryllis told her. "Not as beautiful as mine, but still, it does it for your face."

She didn't really know how to answer. "Err, thank you, I suppose?" The boy, Tyson, patted the spot next to him and Niamh sat down. _Might as well do it now,_ she thought. "You're doing it wrong," She explained, picking up the rope, and making a simple trick that she had learned a few months ago.

Amaryllis gasped. "You-you, how did you do that?"

Niamh smiled a little bit. "It's pretty simple. I can show you, if you would like. If you would ally with me, that is." Tyson smiled. "You're welcome to join us, Niamh. We... well, we need someone that knows how to work with stuff. I man, that's why you volunteered, right?"

 _Shit._ Right now, she had two options. She could either lie and say that yes, she was trained and yes, she would love to show them everything that she knew. But what kind of alliance would that be, then? If she started it with lies, then she was already doing what the Capitol would want her to do. And Niamh, well, she was never one for lying. She shaked her head. "N-no, I volunteered because of something else."

Tyson raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Niamh sighed, and came up with a small explanation before telling them. "M-my best friend, she was reaped. And I just couldn't let her come here, you know? She had her whole life ahead of her, and I couldn't let the Games ruin it for her." She hoped that it was good enough. That they would ask more questions, because there was so much to talk about. Things that Niamh would rather not bring up ever again.

"So had you." Amaryllis replied.

"Well, I guess that some people are worth fighting for. I just never thought of letting her come her. She means too much to me, to ever let her die in the Games like that. Forgotten, forever." Tyson nodded, and smiled sadly. So he understood, too. Even Amaryllis, who was Amaryllis, seemed to be lost in her own thoughts.

"Well, you seem to know your way around the place. And you're not completely useless, that you could teach us a few things along the way. Do you still want to ally with us? Because if you do, we would love to have you. We understand if you don't, we're just from District twelve, me and Amy. Our tributes never make it out of the bloodbath."

"Tyson!" Amaryllis hit him in the shoulder, looking at Niamh with an apologizing look. "He doesn't appreciate what we are, and I'm sorry for that. But he's right, we would love to have you. It would be amazing to have another girl around here. But please, just call me Amaryllis. Not Amy, or anything like that."

"Yeah, I understand." Niamh laughed a bit. "I would hate if someone shortened my name to Nia or something. But yes, I-I would love to join you. We can have each other's backs, and learn some things with each other."

"Welcome to our little team then, Niamh." Tyson said, holding out his hand. Niam shook it right away, smiling.

"It's Team Amaryllis, without a doubt." Tyson cringed, and looked up to Niamh, from his newest rope. "Nah, it's Team Amy. What do you think, Niamh?"

She giggled. "Yeah, I like the idea of Team Amy." They kept going on like that, with Niamh teaching them a few rope tricks along the way, and Amaryllis being more than annoyed every time that they called her Amy. But right now, Niamh was happy. This was the closest thing to having friends, to having someone to watch her back, that Niam ever had. And in that second, Niam could swear that she could feel Tori right there with her, giving the strenght that she needed to fight.

Giving her the strenght that she needed to be Niamh Gregora, and no one else.

* * *

 **A/N:** I loved writing this chapter, training is just great to do. So yeah, the alliances will be up in the blog as they are introduced in the story, but I'll also keep a little list down here, so that no one is confused:

 **Alexa + Aidan + Sadie + Jasko + Tiena**

 **Leila + Sedna**

 **Amaryllis + Tyson + Niamh**

More alliances will be introduced soon, and I can't absolutely wait. I have so much planned. So excited. I'll keep the poll up a few more chapters, since not many people voted yet. Yeah, okay, please vote in the poll! Reviews are very much appreciated, too. See you soon ;D


	13. Far From Home

**Chapter Thirteen.**  
 **Training - Day Two.**

* * *

 **Oliver Craddocks; 16 years old.**  
 **District Nine Male.**

* * *

With every minute that he spent there, Oliver was becoming more confident about what he had to do. Like every other game in his life, he had learned the rules and now, he was ready to play. Almost. During the past days, Oliver had watched the other tributes move around, some excited and some scared, but all with one goal in mind. To win, but to be able to do that, someone to watch their back was necessary. Oliver had realized that all of them had a role in the upcoming Game, including himself.

Some would lose, and some wouldn't even get the real chance to play. Some would be heroes and when they died, their families would be proud of them and would remember them for as long as they lived. Oliver also wanted that, but there were other parts of him, other parts that were much stronger than it. The part of him that was determined to survive didn't care which role he would play, villian or hero, as along as he made it back home. Oh, and he would.

His mothers believed in him, they had given him everything that he needed to grow up big and strong, and now it was time to pay them back. It was time to show everyone in District Nine that they had done everything right, unlike many people thought that they would. Maybe his real parents would be watching, knowing the son that they had left behind so many years ago, and they would regret it. They would regret leaving him.

Oliver vowed that he would. He owed it to the scared little boy that he had left behind at the orphanage the day his mothers had picked him up, and owed it to himself too. He would make them regret that they doubted that he was anything but the best of the best.

For the past two days, Oliver had tried everything. From spears to swords, from making a fire to climbing, he had tried all of them. Of course, he wasn't perfect at it just yet. But before Oliver Craddocks became the best of the best, he had to work hard. Work hard everyday, and turn the pain into the power that made him who he was. Looking over to the archery station, he noticed Niamh, trying her best to teach her new allies how to properly hit a target.

It would have been a smart bet to ally with her, his mentor had said. When Niamh had found her allies, and it was decided that District Nine wouldn't be working together this year, Oliver had decided that he didn't need her. Let her have her little friendship with District Twelve, because Oliver would get better. But most of all, he knew better. He knew that there was no place in the Games for a friendship, but there was a place for an alliance.

A temporary agreement between two people, but in the end, only one could win. Like in any other good game, the winner needed to know his enemies before striking. And Oliver had been, for the past day that he had been here, watching every single person that would be going into the arena with him. All of them, from the Careers to Niamh's allies, knew how to do something. But not all of them had what Oliver was looking for.

A meat-shield. Someone he could trust to watch his back in a fight, but someone that he wouldn't hesitate to throw in front of him when things got rough. The boy from Ten, like Niamh had suggested. He looked tough enough, but from the expression that he made everytime that someone turned down his offer for an alliance, Oliver could see the true. He was weak. He needed someone to care for him, someone to approve his every move.

That was what Oliver do. He would pretend to be a friend, pretend to care about the boy, and he would build it from there. And when the time came, Oliver wouldn't hesitate to do whatever was necessary, not even if he had to drive his sword throught the boy's back. So be it. Would people look at him as a villian? Maybe. Nice guys always finish last, his mother had told him once, when he was still a little boy with dreams of castles and knights.

She always told him the truth, instead of letting him be blinded by the old stories. Nice people didn't get what they wanted, because they were not willing to make sacrifices for the greater good, to get to their goal. People that were willing to make sacrificies for what they want, willing to sacrífice friend and foe, those were the ones that got what they wanted.

A game that could end his life, but it was still just a game. A game that had rules, multiple players and possible endings. The chance of death was just a possible ending, one that Oliver would never have to consider. Back in District Nine, he did everything to win every game that he got into; Cheated, manipulated, and threw people out of their high horse. Why should the Hunger Games be any different?

After almost knocking another dummy down with his sword, something caught Oliver's attention across the room. His future ally had knocked his district partner's attempt to throw a knife, and right now, the girl was anything but happy. Go to him. Get his trust, get him on your side.

Oliver waited, tiping his fingers and watching his sword. It had been a bit heavy at first, but Oliver had gotten used to it. The steel had a dark beauty to it, but it was something that Oliver enjoyed. Soon, it would be an extension of his arm, and he would be using it to do whatever he needed to do. When he felt something that he didn't want in the arena, the sword would remind him of who he was. He was better than all of them, much better. While they worried about getting an alliance, Oliver was worried about learning how to throw a knife or how to build a fire.

He worked, he struggled, and that would always be the thing that kept him on the top, as the very best.

Once the red-head and her ally left, Oliver got closer, so he could see the boy's expression. He passed the knife from one hand to another, but when the trainer started to rant that he should either do something or leave, Coulter threw the knife. It wasn't close to a bullseye, but it actually stuck. Impressive, though. Very impressive indeed.

"Excellent work over there. I have been watching this station for a while, and besides the Careers, no one actually managed to make it stuck. I did, but hey, it's still an impressive move." Once Oliver started talking, the boy looked like he had seen a ghost, and blushed deep red.

"I-it's n-not r-really a-anything impressive." Oliver noticed how the boy never lifted his eyes to look at him, not even once. He knew that people in District Ten didn't really have the best manners, but this was a bit rude, if he came to think of it.

"Oh, it is. You're one of the strongest guys around here, too. I mean, look at you. I still wonder what they give you in Ten to make you grow up so strong. Must have something to do with all the animals." Again, the boy didn't looked at him once.

"I-I'm n-not t-that s-strong. M-my b-brother i-is t-the s-strong o-one i-in the f-family." The family, the emotional connection to his home, that was something that Oliver could use. He could make the boy believe that it was something that they would bound over, and then, he would strike.

"Your brother, uhm? I don't have any siblings, but sometimes, I kinda wish I do, you know?" It was a lie, of course, but a necessary one. "It's always nice to have someone to watch your back when things get rough. Kinda hard to have one with two mothers, though." Oliver hoped that it would be enough for the boy to get the hint. The hint that he wanted to have someone to watch his back.

"M-mothers, ah? M-my d-district p-partner L-Leila has a g-girlfriend t-too. M-maybe y-you s-should a-ally with her." Say it. _Say it and he'll be all yours. Say it._

"I don't want her. Guys like you and me should stick together, you know? The best guys around here should get together. We'll show them that together, we can beat anything. I'll have your back if you have mine. What do you say?" For the first time since Oliver had arrived in there, Coulter glanced up to look at him.

"You a-and m-me?" He asked, as if he didn't believe that someone like Oliver would want him as an ally. That someone like Oliver, who was one of the best, would ever look at someone like Coulter was truly a miracle. This would have consequences in the future, but he would deal with them when he got home, safe and sound.

This was just a part of the game, something that Oliver had dealt with before, and that he would have to deal with again if he wanted to survive. He didn't mind being the villian, not really. Not there. Not today. "You and me together, the strongest guys around here, what do you think we can do? We can help each other. If one of us doesn't make it home, the other can make sure they will."

Coulter grinned, from ear to ear, and nodded. "O-of course. I'll do my best t-to m-make sure I-I won't slow you down." Oliver kicked him lightly in the stomach, like he used to do to his best friend Ethan. Only that this wasn't District Nine, and this boy wasn't Ethan. He was just a meat-shield that Oliver would use when the time was right. Maybe grow to know more about him, Oliver didn't care. Whatever he did, this boy would always be a way of saving Oliver's life.

All of them would.

* * *

 **Brooke Devoir; 16 years old.**  
 **District Eight Female.**

* * *

Brooke was alone, like she always had been, but training hadn't been a complete disappointment. She had learned what she could or could not do, and also taken advice from the others. She watched how the Careers moved, how easy it was for them to throw a knife or win a combat fight, and then she went from there. Of course, it wasn't easy. But Brooke had always worked better under pressure, even more than her own life was in danger.

Working was a way to keep herself busy, and the only way that Brooke had found to escape this place. Even if it was only for a while, this was the only way. When she worked, focusing on the best way to throw a knife or to shot an arrow, Brooke could almost pretend. She could pretend that she was back home, with the life that she had made for herself and worked so hard to built. That she wasn't here, where her life could be taken away from her at any moment.

Brooke always knew that she wasn't a good person. She had tried to ignore it before, pretending that she was as good as the people that she surronded herself with, but that had to stop. In here, she felt like she was back in the streets of District Eight. Alone and scared.

To hell with anyone that thought otherwise, because Brooke was afraid. She felt her hands tremble every time that she thought someone was going to approach her for an aliance, and when they ended up only wanting to train in the same station that she was in, all she could feel was dissapointment.

Brooke would never admit it, she wasn't a weakling and would rather die than admit it, but she needed someone. She needed someone in District Eight, when all she had was herself in the cold and hard nights, and she had never gotten anyone. Not even her own mother had come to say goodbye to her, when she was possibly never returning to District Eight again. It was easier to pretend that she was made of iron, than to admit that she craved to have someone on her side.

To have someone to praise her for how hard she worked, or to tell her that she should be proud of herself. When she looked around, when she saw all those tributes with someone by their side, Brooke wanted that. She wanted someone to have her back in the arena, and someone that she could fight it. _No, no._ She shaked her head, almost dropping the knife that she had been working with. _You only have yourself, and if you don't remember that, you'll be dead as soon as the gong sounds._

No, she couldn't. One day at a time, Brooke reminded herself. Right now, she was in training, and the goal was to learn as much as she could and possibly get an alliance. Possibly. _But who? Who could she choose?_ Back home, Brooke had been alone for most of her life. But when she made a name for herself, when she truly became someone, she surronded herself with people that could cover up what she couldn't. In there, she would have to follow the same rules.

There were the ones that she would stay away from, even if she had to walk alone into that arena. They were the people like her mother, the ones that were weak, and didn't even try to act strong.

Not even when their life depended on it. It was only by then that Brooke realized that she wasn't alone in the knife throwing station anymore. The trainer wanted to help her, but Brooke had refused the first time. Tributes were watching, and if she had the trainer doing everything for her, then she wouldn't get anywhere.

"The Careers" consisted of the girls from One, Two and Four and the boys, but they were no where to be seen. The girls from One and Four talked quietly when they decided to work, while the girl from Two kept to herself. All that Brooke was that they threw a knife as easily as they were able to talk. Taking her strenght from there, Brooke picked up another knife. She might have been from District Eight, but that didn't mean that she was less than any of those girls.

Brooke aimed at the target, knife already in hand, and threw but not with too much strenght. If she threw it with too much strenght, it might not stick in the target. Right now, she didn't want it to hit a bullseye or anything, she just wanted prove that her training in the past day had worked for something.

It stuck, not too much above the dummy's heart, closer to the throat. Yes, that was good. With the second knife, she aimed a little bit higher, and throwed, with a little more of strenght. Those were the advices that the trainer had given her once she had arrived in the station. First, she had to throw a little bit slower and focus on the aim. And when she started to get better, she could focus on how much strenght she wanted to use.

Yesterday, Brooke had only managed to hit the target twice. But now, that she was getting better, she could possibly start to work on maybe working the bullseye. To her right, the Career girls were having some sort of twisted competition, to see which one of them could hit the target without ever missing.

"Idiots. I would be as good as them if I was a Career." The girl to her left was tal, with long black hair, tied in a braid. Brooke couldn't say that she recognized her from the reapings. "You're not so bad yourself, though. I've been watching, and you managed to do a pretty good job with those knives."

"And you are..?" Brooke glanced at girl, feeling a little proud that she stood taller than the other girl, even if she looked older.

"Someone who would probably be interested to join you. But back home, I was known as Katarina Morellee. You can call me Kat, though." She extended her hand, for Brooke to shake. "It's nice to meet you, District Eight." Brooke wanted to shake it, but a strange feeling had placed itself on her stomach and right now, it was telling her that this girl was no good for an ally. Back home, when had no one to trust, Brooke only had herself. And that feeling in her gut always told her if the person was worthy trusting or not.

Right now, it told her that the girl wasn't worth trusting, but it was also the best chance that she had at an ally so far. "If you don't want to keep calling me District Eight, I'm Brooke."

Katarina raised an eyebrow. but quickly laughed. "No last name?" Her last name was the only thing that tied her to her life back in District Eight, to a foster family that would probably never care if she lived or died. Right here, it didn't matter.

"Does it matter? We're all here for one thing, after all. Winning." Before the girl could say anything else, Brooke stopped her. "So, what do you want?"

Katarina picked up a knife of her own, and thrilled it between her fingers, pretending to think of the right words to say. Brooke recognized that trick, since it was one that she had used more than one time back home. Don't like in the eye of the person that you're about to lie to. " You look nice, you know?"

Brooke wanted to let her continue, but she couldn't resist. Not here, where those Careers bitches were probably hoping that the two of them would break down in tears. "Sorry darling, I'm straight. Or at least I was, back home." She was not lying, just picking her words very carefully.

"Before you stopped me, I was going to say that you looked nice enough and you don't seem to have allies, so I thought why not? You'repretty capable with those knives, and you're strong, in both ways. It seems that we have a lot in common. You're a survivor." Yes, they did and that girl seemed to be picking up the pieces already.

"It takes one to know," Brooke replied. " But I'm not allying with someone if I don't know what they can and can not do."

Katarina was all smiles and nods by now, but Brooke knew that there was something much deadlier hidden in there. The best of them, the strongest had to wear a mask to hide their true feelings.

When people looked at them, they saw all the beauty and rage, but they didn't saw the iron underneath. "I know my way around a sickle and like you might have seen yesterday, I also know how to work with knives. And I can surely tell you, I won't stop when I have to kill. You can be sure of that." Brooke nodded, knowing that she had two seconds to decide. She was strong, just like Brooke, but she wasn't completly made of iron. She could see that now.

And if two people that had survived for so long joined, what could they possibly do? "Very well. I won't hesitate, either. You should know that I have been training to kill my enemies."

"That was exactly why I picked you. Although we might consider having someone else in our little alliance, since the others are getting too big. but we'll see. We still have another day to choose. For now, let's get to work." And they did. Brooke had finally gotten an ally, after a day of waiting. And if she surronding herself with people that didn't have anything to do with her had gotten her this far, then where would she go with someone that was exactly like her? The answer was simple.

Home.

* * *

 **Ryella Duval; 18 years old.**  
 **District Six Female.**

* * *

Since she had gotten there, there was a part of Ryella that was actually relieved. At least, she could finally have a little bit of peace, even if it was only for a moment. In there, she didn't have to work to death to feed her family, or pretend to be in love with someone that she couldn't care less about. She was Ryella Duval, and since everyone minded their own business, they all left her alone. She could finally be herself, without anyone to stop her.

She didn't need Camryn to live, or anything like those idiot romance stories said, but he had made sure that Ryella stopped working to feed her family as soon as they got together. The poor fool was so in love with her, that he fell in her trap, without ever looking back. The money was good, but Ryella had lost the purpose that she had in her life. What on earth was she supposed to do next? The irony that she was reaped a few months later almost made her laugh. Almost.

But having Preston Hewitt by her side, that was something that Ryella didn't want. She had begged with their mentors, told them that she could find someone else that was stronger, but they said no. That while they didn't have anyone, District Six would stay together. In the first day of training, Ryella had ignored him completely. She had let the boy follow her around while she trained, but then, the ideas started spinning inside of her head.

By the time that the second day of training had started, Ryella had a plan. Preston could actually come of use. He wouldn't kill for her, Ryella had realized that he wasn't as stupid as she thought, but he could protect her when she couldn't protect herself. And when the time came, she would get rid of him or have someone else do it for her.

"Hey Ryella?" They were currently training with the bow and arrows, and Preston was getting quite good at it. He wasn't any Career, but with two days of training, he actually managed to make the arrow stuck on the target.

Ryella wasn't sure, but he probably had it a few bullseye already. "Watch me and tell me who do you think I am." He attached the back of the arrow to the bowstring and raised it, drew the string and released the arrow. Ryella was about to roll her eyes when Preston's arrow hit a straight bullsye.

"An idiot," She replied. _Get him on your side._ "But one that's getting better and better with time. I think that by the time we get to the arena, you'll actually be able to hit someone with that bow."

Preston grinned from ear to ear. He was exactly like a child, the more Ryella praised him, the happier he got. Maybe it was a good thing that they were forced to stay together, in the end. "The right answer was a Career, but that's a pretty good one too. I'm glad that you're finally starting to accept that we make an hell of a team, babe. Soon, I'll finally be able to make you smile."

Ryella nodded, but she didn't say anything. _Emotions make you weak,_ she could hear her father like he was right here with her. Ryella hadn't realized that he was telling the truth until much better, only she was forced to grow up and take care of her family. Smiles, emotions, they weren't a thing for her. There was only one person that was able to make Ryella smile, from to time to time, and it was her brother. Lyric was the only one that deserved her smiles, and the only that had earned them for the rest of their lives.

The others were nothing but scum that she would get rid of, one day. Getting a bow of her own, Ryella attached the arrow to the string, raised the bow and aimed. If even someone as Preston could do it, it shouldn't be that hard. It couldn't be, Ryella thought, and released the arrow. It hit the dummy's head, stuck in there for a second, but fell to the ground seconds later with a loud _thump._ She turned to her left, half expecting one of Preston's sarcastic comments, but he was too focused on his new bow to even pay attention to her.

Sighing, Ryella placed the bow back on the shelf, and turned to Preston. "I'm going to take a look at the edible food station, it might help us in the future."

Preston lifted an eyebrow. "Do you want me to tag along?"

Ryella shook her head. "No, no, I'll just go take a look and I'll be right back. You focus on your bow, and practice to get even better. Maybe you'll be able to even take down a Career by the time we get to the arena." Preston grinned, nodded and turned back to his bow. Ryella walked away, moving towards the edible food and poisons station. She wasn't too interested in the edible food, since the poisons were the thing that she was really there for.

Ryella could feel the excitement building up in her chest, and she smirked a little. It had been two years since she was able to get near any type of chemicals, since she had left school to take care of her brother, and now they were right there, waiting to be touched.

The trainer was an older man, and he smiled when he saw her. "I didn't have many tributes interested in my station, but you seem to know your way around, girl?" Ryella nodded. She didn't owe the man anything, but there was no need to be rude. Not when she was surronded by one of the things that she loved the most in the world, and besides, that man could be a possible sponsor for her.

"This one..." Ryella pointed to white bowl, with an even more white water in it. It looked normal at first, but Ryella had studied that type of poisons since she had entered school.

The trainer smiled, picking up the bowl and handing it to her. Ryella brought it closer to her face and smelled it. It seemed and looked exactly like normal water to the untrained eye, but Ryella knew better. There was only one type of poison like that. "Arsenic, isn't it?"

The man smiled, but still looked quite suprised that she had gotten it right. "Oh yes. "The King of Poisons", they call it. Place it on water or food, and people won't notice a single thing. They would be dead in minutes." He pointed to the next shelf, and Ryella followed him. In there, it was a fish, a type that Ryella had never seen before, but she had read about it. But if it was there, this was one was pretty easy.

"Mercury," She answered. "It's deadly only when it's ingested, but still, a very deadly poison." The trainer nodded, his smile growing wider, but then he stopped to look at her for a few seconds. "You know, they don't usually supply this type in the Cornucopia, but you can get them throught a sponsor."

The next hour went by pretty quickly, and when Ryella had tried throught each poison twice, she nodded goodbye to the trainer and left. Right now, she was content.

Not happy, but that was something that she had been wanting to do for a long time. She had been a skilled chemist in school and when she had left, that was the thing that Ryella missed the most. Now, she had them back, and maybe would even get someone to sponsor them to her in the Games. It was only when she got to the archery station that Ryella noticed that Preston was surronded by two girls, a brunette and a red-head.

The girls from... Seven and Ten, Ryella guessed. She reached them just in time to hear Preston's voice. "And that, ladies, is how you truly use a bow and arrow." When they continued their training without paying attention to her, Ryella crossed her arms over her stomach, and cleared her throat.

She could almost hear the smirk on Preston's voice when he spoke. " I heard you the first time, dearest Ryella." Then, you're rude as hell, she thought to herself.

"Then it would have been nice to answer, dearest Preston." He cackled, and turned to the other girls. "Over here, we have Ryella Duval, my lovely district partner. She's also the grumpiest person you'll ever meet, so you'll need a little bit of patience if you are going to put up with the lovely Ryella over here."

"Put up with?" Ryella asked, and suddenly, she felt the need to punch Preston, right there. If he had invited those girls to be their allies without her permission, what was stopping her from turning around and finding a whole new alliance? The girls placed their bows back on the shelf, just like Ryella had done, and placed each other on her side. "I'm Leila, District Ten." The red-head claimed, pointing to herself and then pointing to the girl on Ryella's left side. "This is Sedna, from Seven."

When Ryella didn't reply, the girl continued. "We came here to train the bows and your district partner, being a gentleman, helped us learn our way around one. Then, the invitation to an alliance came." Leila got a bit too close to her for Ryella's tastes, and whispered in her ear. "If he was a girl, I would surely ask him out. Not into boys, sadly."

 _How lovely._ Almost as if she understood what Ryella was thinking, Leila sighed. "We might not look like much, but Sedna grew up with axes, and I can handle myself with knives quite well." Ah, District Ten. Ryella wondered how many animals the red-head had butchered. "We can help the two of you, but in the end, it's up to you." The plan had only included Preston, but what could be the harm? Against the Careers, she would have 3 people that could actually hold their own. Oh yes, Ryella was starting to like the solution.

She quickly nodded. "An alliance it is, then. We'll meet over lunch, Sedna and I will work on the survival stations, while you guys work on the weapons." They quickly left, the girl from Seven following behind her. But Ryella was thinking of Preston, and the way that he had been charming to those girls when he was clearly a rude person.

"So, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum? What exactly were you thinking?" For the first time since she had met Preston, she saw the hint of a sly smile on his face. "You know what I was thinking, dearest Ryella. Maybe I took a page from your book."

District Six was alread playing the Game.

* * *

 **A/N:** This was only supposed to be out on Friday, but hey, it's the summer. The best thing about it is that we can do whatever we want and well, I ended up writing this in the past two days, and here it is. :) One more day of training, and we'll be closer to the Games. (I can't wait.)

Our alliance list:

 **Alexa + Aidan + Sadie + Jasko + Tiena**

 **Leila + Sedna + Preston + Ryella**

 **Amaryllis + Tyson + Niamh**

 **Coulter + Oliver**

 **Brooke + Katarina**

See you soon!


	14. Battle Of One

**Chapter F** **ourteen.**  
 **Training - Day Three.**

* * *

 **Blaine Parker; 17 years old.**  
 **District Three Male.**

* * *

Peace didn't exist.

No matter how hard Blaine tried, the noise seemed to follow him wherever he went. Back home, he did whatever he liked, and people left him home. He had a life of his own, he had hopes, and he had a future. A future where it could be just him and a good ol' pack of cigarettes, with no one to bother him. But of course, fate had to fuck it all up. Fate had to be the bitch that it always was, and ruin everything.

That was what his "father" told him, when they had two minutes to see each other for what would surely be the last time. That it was in fate's plan for him to be reaped, and maybe, it was also in its plan for him to die in there. Blaine Parker, the boy who loved his cigarettes, wouldn't come out of the arena alive.

Fuck that. Did they expect him to accept his death just like that? Did they expect him to give up, like that small boy from Seven? No, he wasn't giving up. He was simply doing things in his own way, and to hell with anyone that dared to tell him that he was wrong. But right there, he was making progress.

Yesterday, Blaine Parker made an ally. At first, he wanted nothing more than to see the boy behind his back. The Career reject, they called him, the one who wasn't good enough to be accepted into the alliance. So when the boy started following him around, without having the courage to talk to him at first, Blaine was quite annoyed. He quickly told the boy to fuck off, and moved on into the next station, hoping that the boy would gain some sense in his head and leave him alone.

Of course, Blaine wasn't about to go on and hit the boy, because he surely didn't feel like having to answer Beetee. Hell, he wasn't a person to start an argument if no one messed with him. It was quite simple, if they hit him, he did his best to hit back, twice as harder. That was the way that the world worked, and if Blaine wanted to have a place in the world, he had to follow it. _Remember,_ his mother had told him once. _If you don't have your own back, no one will._

He would join her. One day, he would. But it would be seventy years from now, in his bed back in District Three, surronded by those that he grew to care about. Erin and Quinn, and maybe, he would even make a family of his own. Hell, he had so much ahead of him. Maybe he wasn't the best person in the world, and he wasn't particulary nice either, but he didn't deserve this.

 _Chin up, Parker. You're here now, and if you wanna keep that lazy ass of yours alive, you better work._

Nikolai Faustus, Blaine's _lovely_ ally from Two, was currently heads over heels with a sword that they had discovered in the station. Shashka, he called it. Why they couldn't all it simply a sword was something that Blaine would never be able to understand. "You know, I made one exactly like this on my sixteen birthday. That's when I realized this was the best type of sword that anyone could use." Nikolai swinged the sword around, testing it over and over again.

Blaine rolled his eyes, and turned back to his own sword. "Yeah, right. Look at me, buddy, do I look like Victor material? I surely don't. We all have our own dreams, but sadly, the world is a truly fucked up place. Get over it."

Nikolai snickered. "No, I mean it! My family makes the weapons for Two's Academy. I just never had a free pass to train in it, or even get closer to it. I make the weapons, my family delivers them."

"So you would know everything about every weapon in this room? I mean, of course, that's why they kicked you out. The Careers are so strong that they don't need a weapon-maker in their mix." To this day, Nikolai still refused to tell him him why the Careers kicked him out. it wasn't important, he said.

"I never wanted to be with them. I came here to prove that I'm better than those Careers who train in the Academy, not to be their lap dog. I refuse to serve anyone but myself." Maybe, maybe, they did have that in common, but that was all. Blaine was starting to understand his ally a little better, and right now, he was getting quite bored. Proving myself, blah blah blah. The Careers, blah blah blah.

Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad way idea to kick his ass when they got to the arena, after all. "Hey, so you don't plan on doing anything else today?" Blaine asked, and pointed to the chair that Nikolai was currently sitting in, with his special sword next to him.

Nikolai shaked his head, holding back a yawn. "Nope. I'm saving my strenght for the private sessions, that are the only thing that truly matters in this short period of four days. You know we're pretty lucky that we're among the first, uhm? I head they're pretty drunk by the time that District Twelve is called."

Blaine considered his ally's choice for a few seconds, and glanced at the big clock, placed in the middle of the room. One hour from now, they would be heading into the private sessions. One by one, the Gamemakers would score them and that part of the game would be done. Was it truly worth it wasting their energy in this final hour?

Of course not. Blaine sat down next to Nikolai, feeling a new purpose rush through his body. Doing what other people didn't want him to do made him feel free. Made him feel like he was back home, with his cigarettes and his friends, with no one to tell him what to do. For a second, Blaine forgot the Hunger Games, and everything that came with them. For a second, he was just Blaine Parker again, happy to be doing whatever he wanted to do.

But of course, peace could never last forever. Blaine was starting to make a theory that there wasn't such a thing as peace, in the first place. When the boy arrived next to them, shaking and breathing pretty quickly, Blaine was sure that he had seen the boy before. District Twelve, maybe? District Eight?

"H-hi g-guys." He said, even if Blaine had no idea of who he truly was.

Nikolai quickly nodded to him. "So, have you made your decision, Fabian?" When Nikolai noticed the look of confusion in Blaine's face, he cried. "Look, I didn't know if you wanted to ally or not in the first place, so I invited Fabian to come join us if he decided he had enough of his last ally. And apparently, he did. It can't hurt to have some extra help, don't you think?"

"If this alliance is off to start with secrets, then it's not a very good start. But whatever, I'll deal with it. Can you do anything, boy?" It was probably not necessary to be this blunt, but hey, it was the Hunger Games. If the boy was useless, then Blaine would make sure that he didn't make it past the bloodbath. In a death contest, the best man won, and it was not about playing nice.

"Yes, I-I can. I work with knives, and when that doesn't work, I think I can also use a bit of rope. N-Nikolai saw it before, he knows what I can do." Blaine glanced at Nikolai, but the boy only nodded.

"We're going to let him join us, then? Just because he is your friends?" If Nikolai thought that there was such a thing as friends in the Hunger Games, then Blaine probably made a wrong choice for an ally.

"No, Blaine. We're to let him join us, because when we fight against the Careers, you're going to thank me that we're three, instead of only two. We might even survive longer because of that. Just think about it."

Blaine cringed. "Well, I don't have much of a chance to think about it. You already said yes, even without wanting to know my opinion first." Getting up, Blaine placed the sword back in the shelf, turning his back on his newest allies.

Nikolai sighed, following him, just like he had done in the first day of training. "You're being an asshole, Blaine. Fabian will help us, you'll see. You'll even thank me that I decided to let him join us."

Blaine snickered. "Well, suprise suprise, Nikolai. That's exactly what I am. An asshole. If want a nice guy, go back to your friend. I'm an asshole and also an idiot, and guess what? I couldn't care less about what anyone else thinks me."

Nikolai didn't bother to follow him again. Some tributes glanced when passed by, just like the people back in Three did, but Blaine ignored him completely. Now that he was on his own, he felt calmer again. That was all a mistake, in the first place. Getting an ally and pretending that he was a nice person, that was nothing for Blaine. He was who he was, and if his allies wanted someone better, then they should stick with each other.

He needed them. Right now, when almost everyone had gotten an alliance, Blaine needed them. But later in the Games, when things started to get rough, he would do what he did best. He would leave them behind, and then, the Seventy Second Hunger Games would truly begin.

He would be Blaine Parker, and maybe, that would be the thing that saved him.

* * *

 **Coulter Xenophon; 16 years old.**  
 **District Ten Male.**

* * *

He had a friend.

Everytime that Oliver laughed at one of his bad jokes, or told him how nice he was at throwing a spear, Coulter didn't know what to say. He blushed, nodded, and muttered a simple "thank you". Oliver didn't seem to understand, and everytime Coulter didn't answer, he just brushed it aside and started a new joke. Before, the old Coulter would have laughed with him and made one of his terrible jokes, but both of them would just laugh anyway, and be what they were supposed to be.

Teenagers. Young, wild and free, without a care in the world. Since the boy had requested an alliance, Coulter couldn't help it but wish that they had met back in District Ten, before everything happened. Before his life was ruined, and the old Coulter left forever, leaving only an emptiness where he was supposed to be. Coulter thought the Hunger Games were a curse, meant to put an end to what remained of his old life. But when he met Oliver Craddocks, everything changed.

The Hunger Games gave him a friend. Someone he could talk with, joke with, and maybe even tell him about the accident. The accident that had ruined his old life, and his family's, and had made him the way that he was now. Oliver would probably like the old Coulter, he thought. They could have been the best of friends, riding their horses together, without a care in the world.

That didn't matter now. He was there, and so was Oliver, and after so many years of wishing for a friend, Coulter had gotten his wish. Within three days, he had found happiness, friendship and maybe even a little bit of peace. Like Oliver said, whatever came next would come. Right now, they were friends and even if only one of them could go home, that was all that mattered. They were friends, and not even the Careers could come between them.

"Hey, buddy." Oliver threw him the net that he had just made. "Now it's not the time to be thinking of your dream girl, man, c'mon. Bros before hoes, remembre? But mostly, work before hoes!"

Coulter felt his cheeks turn red. "N-no, I-I w-wasn't t-thinking a-about girls." Then, an idea came to him. Coulter considered it for a moment, but he wasn't sure if Oliver would want it. After all, they had agreed that the two of them would make a better team in the Games. No one to slow us down, Oliver had said. But now, that almost everyone was in an alliance, would it hurt to add one more member to their alliance?

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "A penny for your thoughts, my friend?" There he was, calling him a friend again. Coulter had to stop himself from smiling. M-maybe maybe, he was wrong all along. Maybe there was some of the old Coulter left, and he was just waiting for the right person to come back. Perhaps Oliver would be the one to bring the old Coulter back.

"D-Do you think w-we should have anymore allies?"

Oliver considered the idea for a second, brushed a hand through his hair, and sighed. "Look around, please." Coulter did as Oliver asked him, looking around, taking every tribute and alliance in consideration. "Now tell me, who do you think would make a decente ally for us?"

There were only three tributes without an alliance. The youngest boy from Seven, the girl from Three, and the boy from Five. Coulter could have said the boy from Seven, but he knew that Oliver wouldn't stand for it. He was too smart, too strong, to ever want to include such a small boy in their alliance. _I have to be like him. I have to be strong and determined like him, no matter what it takes._

If he didn't want to lose Oliver's friendship, he had to be strong. _No more crying around, Coulter. It's time to be a big boy now._ Right there, he got his answer. "None of them. If they didn't have an alliance so far, it's because they're e-either w-weak or p-planning to go on it alone."

Oliver smiled. "Very well. Now, do you think any of the remaining aliances would take us in, if we asked?" Coulter thought the answer would be a yes. Excluding the Careers, and maybe Leila's alliance, the others could take them. The girls from Five and Eight stood together, the pair from Twelve with the girl from Nine, and the pair from Eleven was apparently an alliance as well.

"M-maybe. The o-ones that don't have many in t-their alliance."

Oliver glanced around for a second, but then shaked his head. "Not really. Most people here built their alliance in the first day of training, and some yesterday. They already know each other, and know who has their back and who doesn't. What do you think would happen if we were to join any of those aliances?"

Coulter knew the answer. The thing that was almost natural to human beings, almost as easy as breathing. _Betrayal._ "They would betray us in the first chance t-that they got."

The smile was back on Oliver's face, and Coulter felt lighter too. He was learning. He was finally understading what the rules of the Game were like, and what he wanted to, if he ever wanted to go back to his brother. That was when he noticed that Oliver's eyes were focused on something behind him.

"The pair from Eleven," Oliver said, when he noticed Coulter's stare. "They're coming over, probably to ask for an alliance. Since you are proving to be so wise, I'll let you make the decision. If we ally with them or not, it will be your choice."

 _W-what?_

No, no, he couldn't. Being with Oliver, who he was starting to trust, was one thing. But with other people, no-no, he couldn't do it. It was too much for him already. _You have to. This is a test, idiot. Oliver is trying to decide if you're worthy of being his ally or not. Decide quickly._

He had to be strong, for Oliver. It was the time to prove Oliver that he was worth it, that Oliver hadn't made a mistake when he decided to ally with him. When they arrived, Coulter tried to see as much from them as he could. The girl was tall and quite beautiful, while the boy followed her around, without paying much attention to anything else. "Amina, listen up, if you think I'm going to-" The girl glared at him.

"Shut up, Bastian. I make the decision." Then she turned to Coulter. "Hi! I'm Amina, and this is my district partner Bastian. We're from Eleven. We have been watching you for a while now. You and your friend," She pointed to Oliver, who offered her a wave in return."Seem pretty capable."

"T-thank you. I'm Coulter, and that is Oliver. We're from District Ten, and Nine." The girl was clearly in charge, Coulter noticed. The boy wasn't doing much but to stare at the ground, but he looked strong. _Decisions, decisions._

"Well, I'll go straight to the point then. We were wondering if you wanted to ally with us? Both of us are pretty good with a sickle, and we can help you with everything." He could still her Oliver's voice in head, clear as day. They would turn on them with the first chance that they got, after all. There was only one right question. _Do you want to risk your friendship with Oliver?_

Coulter shaked his head, smiling sadly. "I'm s-so s-sorry, w-we don't want to get into a big alliance. I-it could give us more attention that we want, in the first place. I'm really sorry."

The smile disappeared from Amina's face, and all that was left was disappointment. "Well, I-we understand. Good luck in there, Coulter and Oliver. All of us will need it." After Coulter muttered a simple thank you and they were gone, Oliver smiled. But this time, Coulter was the one to notice something behind Oliver. The boy from Seven, playing with the net that had once belonged to Oliver, smiled sadly.

"H-hi." That was all he could say, before his eyes fell back into the ground. Oliver sighed, and eyes fel on Coulter once again.

 _Oh._

"Hi there," Coulter did his best to smile, after all, the boy already seemed scared enough. "I'm Coulter Xenophon, and this is O-Oliver Craddocks. There's no need to be scared. We're not going to hurt you, after all."

"Everyone i-in here will hurt someone at some point of the Games." The boy said. More wiser than they thought, after all. "I'm here for an alliance, i-if that's okay."

Coulter was about to say no. But there was something about that boy, something that reminded Coulter of what he was before the escort had called his name in the reaping. Weak, sad, with everything to lose. What kind of person was he if he left this boy alone? Oliver had taken him as a friend, and was starting to help him get his courage back. Maybe he could do the same for this boy. If he wanted a chance to leave the arena alive, with his humanity, this was what he had to do.

Oliver grabbed his arm. "Coulter, buddy, District Eleven was one thing. But this boy... he'll slow us down!" The look that the boy gave him was sad enough to have broken Coulter's heart, sometime and somewhere different. _No, he couldn't. But he had to._ "No, he w-won't. You told me to make a decision, Oliver, and this is my decision. I want him in our alliance."

The boy's eyes were suddenly on him. "Th-thank you. I promise I won't dissapoint you. I'm Hex, from Seven. I can climb pretty well, and I'm fast. I can help you get stuff from the Cornucopia. Thank you."

Even if Oliver didn't pay much attention to the boy, Coulter knew that he had made the right choice.

He had a place in the world. He had friends.

* * *

 **Nerinea Aravis; 18 years old.**  
 **District Three Female.**

* * *

She was waiting for them.

Nerinea watched as the small boy from Seven joined the olders from Nine and Ten, the smile never leaving her face. Right there, she and the boy from Five were the only ones that didn't have an alliance. But Nerinea was calm. She always was, no matter how threatening the situation was. She thought better like that, without emotions getting in the way. It was only a matter of time, after all. In the past three days, Nerinea had watched everyone that would be going into the arena with her and talked to everyone that she could.

Not including the Careers. She was many things, but she wasn't stupid. The Careers would wreck her down, and destroying every chance that she had for an alliance. She would deal with them, later. Much later. When they were weak and separated, with the right moves, Nerinea was almost sure that she could take one of them. Not the five of them together, but separated, she could. All it would take was a little bit of extra strenght, practice and boom. Another Career would be gone.

The knives were her weapon. At least, from those that she had tried, they were her favorite. They already felt like an extension of her hand, so why not? A knife was one of the easiest weapons to use too. One clean move, and her enemy would gone. How wonderfully quick. A sword was pretty easy to use, as well, but she prefered the knives. Probably because she had used one in the day that she ended her own suffering at the hands of her father.

Not suffering. She had stopped feeling long ago, because one day, she just cracked. Maybe her emotions were too much for her, Nerinea had no idea. But now it was done, and she was there. Fighting for her life, once again, without no one but herself to watch her own back.

For the past three days, Nerinea had been flitting from one group to the next while building up good interpersonal relationships. She had met D6 and their girls from Seven and Ten, and most importantly, the girls from Five and Eight. Those were the ones that Nerinea was interested in. She acted as an harmless little girl, using words and smiles, but getting to know everyone in her own way. After three days, she had gotten one single conclusion.

They weren't willing to play the Game. There were a few exceptions, of course, but there was no one like her. _There's no one like you, Neri'._ She reminded herself, while throwing knife after knife. _No one that went throught everything that you did. None of them know what real strenght is._

She didn't care, though. Thanks to daddy dearest, she had stopped caring long ago. There came a time, when she became numb. All the feelings, her fears and her hopes and dreams, were all gone. That was the day her father died. _How could you do it?_ Terran had asked her, when she arrived in his home, covered in her father's blood, but feeling happier than she had in months.

Such a stupid question. How, why, what? Everyone had their reasons. Some were already preparing to play the Games, and some had already given up. Some fought for their family, and some fought for their own good.

Nerinea knew her reason. Killing didn't bother her, and it never had. It was just a matter of doing what needed to be done, even if it wasn't morally considered right. She wanted to take back her life. Everytime she took a life, everytime she watched someone fall at her feet, she would know what it felt like to take back her own life.

It didn't matter why Nerinea was playing the game, all that mattered was that she was more than prepared to kill. How could she do it? How could anyone do anything?

Nerinea knew firsthand how foolish it was to expect a question like that to do any good. She'd asked it herself when she was young. Asked it a thousand times. To her father who had abused her since she was five, to the teacher who abused her after she confided in him, to the so-called friend who made the whole school hate her. And of all the times she'd asked, she'd never been answered.

They would ask it too, surely. When she took them down, everytime, they would ask why she was doing it. Why she was playing the Game. Nerinea didn't plan to answer any of them.

She could probably do it alone. All of her life, she had been alone. She had fought alone, and every time a man was too rough for her, she didn't have anyone there to confort her but herself. She never cried, though. She was a woman, and not a little girl. Whatever they did o take her down, it wouldn't work. She had been throught it many times with her father and his friends, and after all, she refused to cry. She refused to show any type of emotion. _Made of iron, she thought._

She had been planning on doing it alone, but this had changed her mind. She and the boy from Five were the only ones without an alliance, and it wasn't good for her.

Once the Games started, the Careers would come after the weaker tributes. But who would they target first? The answer was pretty simple to Nerinea. It was like a game. Those who had someone to watch their back lasted until the end, while the loners always died the first. Why? Because they were alone and in the end, their back was unprotected.

That was why she needed them. Everyone, she had realized, was looking out for themselves, keeping themselves alive. But it didn't hurt to have a little help, at the end of the day, and that was exactly what she was planning to do with those girls. The girl from Five would be harder, Nerinea had realized. She was tough, and more like Nerinea than she could ever realize.

 _A little patience and a little time,_ Nerinea reminded herself. That was all it would take to shape them into her own pawns, that she could manipulate to do whatever she wanted. _Right now, they think I'm only an harmless girl who can do no wrong. How wrong they are._ Putting on _her_ smile _,_ the one she used everywhere, and the one they said made her look like an angel.

 _Oh, she was an angel, they weren't wrong. But she was a fallen one._

 _"_ Kat, hi!" The girl from Five turned around, greeting her with a smile that was so fake that made Nerinea want to vomit. "And Brooke! How are the two of you doing?"

"Oh, we're fine." The younger girl replied, giving her a small smile. Out of the her tow possible allies, Nerinea prefered Brooke. Nicer, and not nearly as fake as Katarina, which could mean that she would be easier to manipulate. Maybe. "Have you considered our request, Nerinea? We'd love to have you. Kat as been focusing on the sickles, but I could use some help in the knives."

"Oh, I'm not that great, but thank you." If she was cocky, they would think that she was telling that true, and they would end betraying her in the end. If she played dumb, well... she would be the one stabbing them in the back. _They're cute, though. Such a pity._ If they were anywhere else, Nerinea would be trying to get both of them in her bed, not to get both of them killed.

She wondered how many she could make with the two of them, in one night. Probably enough to last her a week, and even some to buy a new dress. Interesting.

"Yes, I have been thinking, and I asked my mentor too. Of course I accept. I mean, when two amazing girls ask you to ally, how can a girl say no?" Brooke nodded, but Katarina's eyes never left hers. She's trying to see if she knows something about me, Nerinea realized. Seconds later, she realized that the girl was probably expecting to lower her gaze too. To confirm that Katarina was the leader of their alliance, and that she was the one in power.

If it was somebody else, they might have done what she asked. But hell, she was Nerinea Aravis and she didn't bow down to anyone, not even the God of Death. She wasn't afraid of anything, not even of death. If it happened, it happened. But that didn't mean that she wouldn't do anything that she could to stop it from happening.

After a few seconds, Katarina lowered her gaze. "You know, Nerinea, I have a feeling that the three of us will get along very well. We all want the same thing, after all." Nerinea smiled, and nodded. _She might be more dangerous than what I thought._

 _"_ You and Brooke handle the knives. I'll look over the sickles, and maybe see the swords too." The younger girl went back to her knives, and Nerinea quickly followed her, the smile never leaving her face. It was done, she thought. She had an alliance.

Her life was too precious to waste on a death match. She had already lost herself, and everything that she had ever taken for granted. She couldn't allow the Games to take whatever she had left. Maybe after, she would have a sense of who she truly was. Maybe the Games would show her who Nerinea Aravis truly was and when she got home, she would be someone new. She would be Nerinea, the Victor.

Nerinea Aravis, the girl who finally got her life back.

* * *

A/N: Training is finally done! Okay, I admit this chapter wasn't my favorite to write, but it was necessary. But hey, the important thing is that everyone else enjoys! xD Three chapters away from the Games, people. So Close

Alliances (they're up in blog, but I thought I would also have a little list in here.)

Alexa + Aidan + Sadie + Jasko + Tiena

Leila + Preston + Sedna + Ryella

Amaryllis + Tyson + Niamh

Coulter + Oliver + Hex

Brooke + Katarina + Nerinea

Blaine + Fabian + Nikolai

Amina + Bastian

Loner: Kaneki

Up next, the private sessions. See you soon! :)


	15. Under Pressure

**Chapter Fifteen.**  
 **Private Sessions/Training Scores.**

* * *

 ** **Aidan Lainell; 18 years old.**  
District One Male.**

* * *

Could it get any worse? Aidan wasn't truly sure.

After the third day of training was over, all twenty-four tributes had been called to a small room, where they were supposed to wait for their name to be called. With every passing second, Aidan grew more nervous. _You have it in you,_ he kept telling himself, but the feeling in the pit of his stomach wouldn't go away. There were so many possibilities, and so many things that could go wrong. He had made it this far, but at this point, the real Game was about to begin.

One bad step, and it would all be over. One bad step and everything that Aidan fought for would be gone in a matter of seconds. Shaking his head, Aidan turned over to his fellow Careers, hoping to distract himself. It wasn't easy, at all. Sadie had taken the role of the leader for herself, and even if he respected her for that, he couldn't agree with the fight that she had started with Jasko, the moment that the two of them had seen each other for the first time.

Back home, Aidan would have laughed, and told them to get a room. But there, it was different. They were in the Hunger Games, and the second that Sadie and Jasko clashed their swords, the Career alliance would be gone. _I have to keep them together. I have to keep Sadie and Jasko from killing each other, until the right moment._

A hundred thoughts passed Aidan's mind, and for a moment, he almost shaked them away but he couldn't.. Not there, not when his life was at risk. For the first time in his life, he had to do what was right for him, and not what was right. He was supposed to be Aidan Lainell, the big and strong volunteer from District One, ready to kill and slay whoever was ahead of him. Instead he was Aidan Lainell, the boy from the District One, torn between doing the right thing and what would be right for him.

All the children around him, they would have to die. Either slayed by his hand, or any of his fellow allies, they would die. And in the end, the last one left, would pay the ultimate price. Aidan was willing to pay that price, or at least, part of him was. The part that would gladly do anything to have Idaline back in his arms, or to be able to fight with wooden swords with Daniel, or even kiss Cordelia goodnight.

But it was the Hunger Games, and he would have to use a real sword and not a wooden one.

It was Jasko that finally broke the silence between the Career pack, a few seconds before their names were starting to be called. "You're obviously giving a lot of thought to what you're going to do in your session, man. I wouldn't be suprised if you a better score than the lovely Sadie over there, who's doing nothing but talking." When Aidan only shrugged, Jasko leaned back on the wall behind him, that contente grin on his face.

Sadie didn't even look at him when she answered. "Why should I be giving any thought to it? I already know what I'm going to do, thank you very much, and I also know that I will get the best score." With that, she continued her chat with Alexa and Tiena, not even considering that Aidan and Jasko were also part of the alliance, even if they weren't girls.

"I'll prove her wrong," Jasko whispered, leaning closer to Aidan. "I will get the best score, and then, I'll remind her of it all the way to the arena." Aidan couldn't truly understand Jasko's obsession with proving Sadie wrong, but for all he knew, it could be part of a strategy.

"I think we should all do our best," Aidan replied, shifting closer to the girls, and away from Jasko. But Aidan changed his mind very quickly. What would be the harm of having someone to watch his back? "But hey, it wouldn't hurt to show them who's in charge."

Jasko grinned, but Aidan could see that the smile didn't reach his eyes. "I knew I could count on you, buddy." Aidan smiled back, but everything about that smile was fake. Lying always came easily to Aidan, and right there, it could be his biggest strenght. Jasko opened his mouth to say something, but the speaker got there first.

" _District One. Alexa Cadwell, report for individual assessment_." _Finally._ When Alexa was finished, it would be his turn. Aidan grinned to himself, as the feeling in the pit of his stomach finally disappeared. His district partner walked by him a second later, and Aidan only had the time to wish her good luck before the wooden doors closed behind her.

Five minutes passed. Ten, Fifteen, until all that Aidan could do was breath in relief, when the wooden slided back open, and Alexa appeared. She sat down next to Sadie and Tiena, and before Aidan could ask her how it went, the speakers turned back on. " _District One. Aidan Lainell, report for individual assessment._ "

Jasko clapped him in the back, wishing him good luck, while Sadie glared at him. She didn't need to speak, because Aidan already knew what that glare was supposed to say. _Do your best. Get a good score. Make the alliance proud._

When the wooden doors closed behind him, Aidan noticed that the training center was different than the one they had trained in, for the last three days. This one was smaller, and while the weapon stations remained intact, some of the smaller survival stations had been removed.

"Aidan Lainell, from District One." The Head Gamemaker, all dressed in purple from head to toe, nodded and waved his hand. "You have fifteen minutes to presente your chosen skill, Mr. Lainell. You may begin."

While he walked over to the archery station, Aidan got an idea. The crossbow was his weapon of choice, and it would always be. But he had been using it for the past three days, more than he should and surely, the Gamemakers had seen it using it. What score would they give him for something that was so expected? An eight or a nine, at least. _Choose them something you're not too used to._

After all, the Hunger Games were all about that, for Aidan. About testing his limits, and prove, mostly to himself, that he's capable of greater things. That once he was Aidan Lainell, the Victor, no one would be able to stop him from getting what he wanted.

With the clock ticking down, Aidan picked up a regular bow, and a quiver. He wasn't too used to a normal bow, but surely, it couldn't be that different from his crossbow. In the arena, he would get his crossbow, and do what he did best. But right there, he was stuck with that bow.

Game on. While he attached the arrow to the bow string, Aidan picked his target. A dummy, a few meters away from him, that would be harder to take out than the ones closer to him. Aidan shaked his head. He was a Career, and Careers were meant to be made of iron and steel, not afraid of anything. Aidan raised the bow, aiming for the heart, drew the string back and released the arrow.

A clean shot to the heart. It would be enough to kill someone, if the dummy was a real person, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough because the Gamemakers would always want more. They would want a show, and if Aidan couldn't give it to them, he didn't deserve to be a Victor. He released arrow after arrow, knocking dummy after dummy to the ground, until the clock was a few seconds away from ticking down to zero.

The last dummy went down with an arrow to the head.

When the clock reached zero, the Head Gamemaker turned to Aidan. "Very well, Mr. Lainell, you may go." Aidan placed the bow back on its station, and with a final look at the Gamemakers, marched away. Alexa, Sadie, Tiena and Jasko were all waiting for him, eager looks in their faces. "How did it go?" Sadie asked.

"Pretty well. I used some arrows, and well, they looked happy at the end." Sadie frowned, considered his answer, and nodded.

" _District Two. Sadie Ariste, report for individual assessment._ " Sadie jumped to her feet, her previous frown already gone, a confident smirk in its place. "Here I go."

Jasko grabbed her wrist when she passed by him. "Good luck, doll. I'm sure they'll give you an extra point or two if you take off your clothes while you perform."

Sadie cringed, releasing her wrist from his grasp, and walking away to the training center. "You wish." This time, Aidan couldn't do much but laugh. In less than a week, they would be in the Games. But what was the harm of laughing a little?

Aidan hated to be serious.

But in the Games, if he wanted to win, it was all he would have to be.

It wasn't a time for jokes, not anymore.

* * *

 ** **Amaryllis Carmellia; 16 years old.**  
District Twelve Female.**

* * *

Her life had gone from heaven to hell.

Sitting next to her district partner and fellow ally, Amaryllis was doing everything that she could to stop herself from exploding. The tributes had come and gone, but District Twelve was always last. She had to wait, and Amaryllis Carmellia absolutely loathed when she had to wait for something. Back home, she would have gotten whatever she wanted in the second that she thought of it.

 _Get over it. You're no one in here, and you have to wait. Simple as that._

Had the Games taken everything from her? They had taken her perfect life, the one that she had build for herself, and destroyed it. But they wouldn't take what little remained of the old Amaryllis Carmellia, no, she wouldn't let that happen. She was still Amaryllis Carmellia, the light of District Twelve. And if she did, what would District Twelve become without its light?

She didn't want to know. Fuck District Twelve, all that mattered was her. Amaryllis had once promised to herself that if she had to kill every single soul in District Twelve, to make sure that she lived, then she would do it. There was a part of her, a very small part for that matter, that didn't want to kill Tyson. He was her district partner, and when she had needed it the most, he had reminded her of who she truly was.

Amy had to ignore that moment. No matter how hard it tried to cling to her memory, she pushed it away, with every bit of strenght that she had. Because, for the first time in her life, it was the other way around. She had needed someone, and Tyson was there for her. He had remained her of the code that Amy had lived for her whole life, and most of all, he had reminded her of the role that she played in there.

She could kill him, when the time came. If it ever came down to the choice between herself and Tyson, Amy's answer would always be herself. But until then, she could use him. People were so easy to manipulate, and Amy had always know that. They were puppets, and the only thing that she needed to do to move their strings, was to figure out what he truly wanted.

After that, he would fall at her feet. All of them did, after a while. The fact that her name was Amaryllis Carmellia was enough to make them fall, but never enough to make them get up. She made it all better for them, though. She raised them up, made them and shaped them up to be whoever they were today, and did what they couldn't do.

She was a good girl. But, being a good girl had gotten her there, in the Hunger Games. Maybe it was finally time to start exploring the other parts of herself, the ones that she didn't knew it. Maybe it was time to become someone else.

" _District Ten. Leila Rorie, report for individual assessment_." The red-head got to her feet, waved goodbye to her district partner, and soon disappeared behind the wooden doors. Good, that was good. Three more, and it would be her time to go.

None of them mattered to her. Not even her allies, not even Tyson and Niamh mattered anything. All Amy saw when she looked at them were the people of District Twelve. No one but her mattered.

Image was the most important thing around there. It had been like that, since Amy cold remembre, but in here, it was precious. A good training score, a good interview, could mean the difference between life and death. _Her_ life and _her death._

That was why she had to control herself. What happened when her name was called... it couldn't happen again, not if she wanted to live. Yes, there was a part of her that deeply scared. For Christ's sake, she was human. When the escort had called her name, Amaryllis' world had crumbled to the ground and that part had taken over.

But that couldn't happen again. Not if she wanted to make it home in one piece, and not in a wooden coffin. If she lost control, then what would she have? The answer was simple. Nothing.

But first, before she had to think of the Games... there was work to be done. " _District Ten. Coulter Xenophon, report for individual assessment_."

"Two more, yeah? What are you planning on doing?" Tyson's voice broke her train of thoughts, and for a second, Amy was about to roll her eyes at him. But then, she remembered. _Play with him, like the way you played every boy back home. This isn't District Twelve anymore, and you don't have to pretend to be good anymore._

 _Pretend._ Somehow, it was always the key word.

"I don't know, maybe throw some knives? I'm awful with those, and I doubt they'll be very awake to see us at this point so." A sympathetic smile crossed Tyson's face, and Amaryllis knew that she was doing the right thing. The right thing for _her,_ like always.

"You're not awful. You have pretty good aim, and I bet that if it came down to it, you could do it. More than I could, anyway." _Oh sweetheart, you have no idea._

"Well, District Twelve is already considered awful. I bet we can't make our reputation much worse, but Tyson, we're still here. Image is everything, and I think that if we get a decent score and an amazing interview, we can do it." Amy covered his hand with hers, and a few seconds later, Tyson blushed deep red and leaned away from her.

 _Oh yes, there was still some of the old Amaryllis left in there. She just had to finally bring it back, no matter what._

" _District Eleven. Bastian Steppes, report for individual assessment_."

"See?" Tyson laughed, but Amy noticed that the blush hadn't disappeared from his cheeks. _God, I even impress myself sometimes._ "One more, and then you can go. Use the knives, and make sure they notice you. If they don't, scream or something. You're quite good at making an impression."

 _Yes, yes, I am._

" _District Twelve. Amaryllis Carmellia, report for individual assessment_." This was it. The time to introduce them to the _real_ Amaryllis Carmellia, who surely wasn't the scared little girl in the reapings. She was someone that was so much stronger than that.

Someone truly different.

"Good luck, Amy. Kick their ass." She glared at him, but the for the first time, she didn't say anything. If he wanted to call her Amy, then so be it. She had more important things to care about. When the doors closed behind her, Amy smiled.

She couldn't let them see her in any other way. Smiles had gotten her to the very top back home, and with a little bit of help from her lovely district partner, they could do the exact same thing in the Capitol.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Amaryllis Carmellia, from District Twelve. Do me a favor, though? Ignore my district. I can promise you that my name will be the only thing you remember after I'm done here." The Gamemaker waved a hand, but Amy wasn't no fool. She could understand when she was being completely ignored.

"You have ten minutes to present your chosen skill, Miss Carmellia. You may begin." Behind him, the clock start to tick down to zero. Walking over to the knives, Amy decided to work with a large one. Usually, the stiletto would do just fine for her. But today, it was about proving something to herself.

The knife felt natural in her hand. Time to work, Amy. Using all the strenght that she had in her arm, Amaryllis pulled the knife back, and then stabbed the dummy on the head, with every bit of strenght that she had. The blade disappeared into the neck, and came out throught the other side.

That was when she felt it. From her toes to her fingertips, it was surely something new, but it told Amy that she was doing the right thing. That was finally doing something, anything at all, to make it home. She would make it home, as the Victor of the Seventy Second Hunger Games. After that, she saw nothing else ahead of her.

Her vision turned red, and Amy brought down the knife, time after time after time. The face of the dummy morphed into Tyson, her mother, her friends, her fellow tributes. She was the only thing that mattered. She had always been, but right there, Amy was sure of what she truly had to do.

 _Let them all die, for all I care. I'm the only one that truly matters._

She stabbed the dummy on the chest, on the legs, arms and heart countless times, and it was only when the floor around her was nothing but a mess of red cotton, that she stopped.

The clock was almost ticking down to zero. But no, she wasn't done yet.

Climbing on the dummy's back, Amaryllis brougth her knife down one more time. It wasn't that hard for her anymore. The knife was a part of her hand, just like it would always be in the arena, or even when she made it back home. The head fell down with a loud thump, and it was only then that Amaryllis noticed what she had done.

The dummy was on the ground, the head kicked aside, lying on a mess of cotton and red feathers. It was completely destroyed, save for the red spot that had once marked the heart, because it was there to remind her of something.

God, it felt good, knowing who she truly was. She smirked at the Gamemakers, placed the knife back on the shelf, bowed, and walked out.

Would that be enough to get a good score? Surely.

But finally knowing who she truly was truly amazing. To win, she could still be Amaryllis Carmellia, but she had a whole new one.

The Game was only at the beggining.

* * *

 ** ** **Amina Conlan; 17 years old.**  
District Eleven Female.****

* * *

They were almost there.

Bastian was lying on the couch, legs occupying nearly half of the couch. Seeder and Chaff had tried to make it get up, but it was helpless. Bastian did whatever he wanted to do, and fuck what anyone else thought. Sometimes, Amina wished that she could be exactly like him. Bold, wild but most of all, not caring about anyone's opinions.

She was always taught that opinions mattered, and if she wanted to be a proper lady, she had to listen to what other people had to say. It was important to know what others thought of you, and with that, you should be able to be a better person. Be a proper lady to her family, and a wife to whoever she ended up marrying.

But right now.. Right there, in the Hunger Games, did it truly matter? Everyone hated her in there, that was for sure. Maybe not hate, because the Hunger Games weren't a place for hate or love, they were a place for survival. Maybe there was a part of her that was wrong all along, by thinking that it was the right thing to do.

Maybe.

When they all sat down on the couch, Amina between Bastian and Seeder, there was silence. Amina tapped her fingers gainst her leg, waiting, doing everything she could to take her mind out of what came next. Maybe, if they were talking, it could be different. It could distract her from thinking about the scores.

"They're not that important, you know." Seeder, as always, seemed to know whatever was going through Amina's mind. Perhaps, she had been mentoring for too long, and the tributes were too predictable. Fear about this, fear about that.

"People won't sponsor us if we don't get a good score," Amina replied. "And sponsor gifts can make the difference between life or death in the arena, isn't it?"

"It's not like they're lining up to sponsor us already. The stupid rich kids from One, Two and Four are all they care about." Amina wondered why her district partner hated Careers so much, but she never got the chance to ask. In training, all that Bastian did was stare at them, and curse his luck for ending up in that place.

"Why do you hate them so much? I mean, I know it's bad that they already have an advantage. But if you try to go after them once we're in, where do you think that will get you?" Bastian only shrugged.

"Home," He replied. "And I would get the world ridden of a few rich white kids. I mean, it's not like anyone would miss them, anyway. There's plenty of white litte shits in the world."

"Killed, boy. Going after the Careers will get you killed, no matter who you are or where you come from." Lifting the stump on his right arm, Chaff drank another bit from his bottle. "Where do you think I got this?"

"The girl from District One," The words were out of Amina's mouth before she could help it. "You faced her in the finale of your Games, and she managed to cut your hand out, but you got her first."

Amina liked Chaff. Seeder was pretty nice too, the kind of person that her mother would get along very well with, but Amina liked Chaff and most of all, she respected him. Even without an hand, he managed to become a Victor. A survivor, most of all. And that was exactly what Amina wanted to be and what she _needed_ to be, if she was ever making it home.

"And you know why?" Chaff inquired. "I was faster than her, and quicker. But I made it to that point, because I stayed away from the Careers. They killed, and people killed them, but I was away from all of that. That's why I won."

"Careers are the worst people to ever walk on this earth. They're pompous, they're arrogant, and they think that everything and everyone belongs to them. I'll tell you this: If I ever get the chance to kill one of them, don't doubt that I'll do it." Chaff looked like he was about to lose his patience with Bastian, and he surely deserve it.

"Listen, boy, if you think I'll-" The television rapidly flashed on, cutting Chaff off. He sighed, and sat back down on the couch, next to Seeder. This year, Caesar Flickerman's hair was dyed pink, in honor of the Seventy-Second Hunger Games.

"Welcome, welcome, beloved citzens and welcome back to the Seventy-Second Hunger Games!" Caesar's smile was anything but genuine, but Amina ignored it. A few seconds later, she would know what she got for a training score. "As you know, the tributes are ranked on a scale from one to twelve, after three days of careful evalution. Without anymore delay, here are the training scores!"

The District One girl appears behind Caesar, arms crossed over her chest. She was pretty beautiful, with dark hair and eyes, and lightly tanned skin. "From District One, Alexa Cadwell with a score of _nine."_ To Amina's left, Bastian cringed. What was he expecting, anyway? They are Careers, of course they are going to get a good score. Idiot.

The girl was quickly replaiced with her district partner, a tall boy with a crooked smile. Amina remembered him, from training. The girls had sticked together, while that boy and the one from Four had trained together. "From District One, Aidan Lainell with a score of _nine."_ Both of them matched, then.

"Both of them are threats. They might not be leading the pack, but I would advice the two of you to stay away from them." Suprisingly enough, Bastian didn't comment on that.

Aidan morphed into the mean-looking girl from District Two. She was the leader, from what Amina had noticed. "From District Two, Sadie Ariste with a score of _ten."_ District Two was always stronger than One or Four, in most Games. Some people said that they played with knives before they could walk.

The older boy replaced his district partner. He was the one that had been kicked out of the Careers, probably. "From District Two, Nikolai Faustus with a score of _four._ _"_

"He probably didn't train," Seeder observed. "Will be easier to take him him out, but still, he's a threat." When the first non-Career district appeared, Amina watched Bastian relax.

The girl from Three was smiling, but it wasn't a normal smile. It was weird, and also had an haunting part to it. Almost... almost as if she was happy to be there. "From District Three, Nerinea Aravis with a score of _four."_

Amina would be happy with a five. Of course she wanted more, but a 5 would be good. A decent score.

"From District Three, Blaine Parker with a score of _three."_ A low score, and he looked a lot stronger than Amina. If he could only get a three, why couldn't Amina get more?

When the last Career District appeared, Amina leaned back on the couch. Two more scores, and she could ignore Bastian whining about how much he hated the Careers. It was starting to be annoying. "From District Four, Tiena Pensiere with a score of _ten."_ Yes, the girls were clearly stronger than the boys.

"I bet you and I could take her," Bastian whispered to Amina, leaning in closer to her. "You hold her down, and I rip her pretty little throat out. What do you say?" Amina ignored him. "From District Four, Jasko Quinn with a score of _nine."_

Three nines, and two tens. Could be worse, but could also be better. "From District Five, Katarina Morellee with a score of _five."_ The average score seemed to be a five, then. _I can do it, I can. I'll get a five._

"From District Five, Kaneki Idris with a score of _two."_ The only loner got the lowest score, as it was expected. The little boy from Seven was predicted as a 24th place, but maybe, this boy would end up stealing his prediction.

"District Six, Ryella Duval with a score of _six."_

 _"_ Also from District Six, Preston Hewitt matching his district partner, with a score of _six."_ Both of them looked strong, but a six was a good score. A steady score, that would surely get them sponsors.

"From District Seven, we have Sedna Orwell with a score of _three_ , and Hex Fillian with a matching score of _three_. Seems like we have another pair matching, folks!" Three more. Eight, Nine, Ten.

"District Eight! We have the lovely Brooke Devoir with a respectable _four,_ and her district partner with a _two._ Not so great, but it's still a respectable score!"

"From District Nine, we have Niam Gregora with a score of _seven, and_ Oliver Craddocks with a score of _five."_ One more. District Ten, and then Amina would know her score.

"District Ten! Leila Rorie with a score of _five,_ and Coulter Xenophon with a score of _three."_

 _Now. "_ And from District Eleven, we have Amina Conlan with a score of _five."_ A five. She actually managed to get a five. After training so much, she had gotten a five. Seeder patted her in the back. "It's a good score, Amina. We can work with that." "Bastian Steppes, with a score of _three."_ None of them had the time to do anything before Bastian stormed out of the room, cursing to himself.

"Last but not least, from District Twelve, we have Amaryllis Carmellia with a score of _five,_ and Tyson Moretta with a score of _five."_ Ceasar placed the paper that contained the scores down, and winked. "And that's it for today. Tomorrow, we meet our lovely tributes!" The television turned off, and Caesar disappeared.

She had gotten a five. If she had her score, she could do anything.

She could go home.

* * *

A/N: Yes... I know. This is fast, but yeah, I'm sorry. I know that it might be hard for people to catch up and I'm truly sorry, but I have a reason for updating so fast. I want to get the Capitol done before September (and before school), so I won't have that much work when school comes. Thank you for all the support, though, all the reviews are very much appreciated. (And make write even faster than this.) xD

The scores are also in the blog. Let me know if any of them suprised you!

Okay, so we're done with the scores and the private sessions. Next up, we have the interviews, the launch and guess what? The Games! xD I can't absolutely wait.

See you soon!


	16. Ordinary People

**Chapter Sixteen.**  
 **Interviews.**

* * *

 **Nikolai Faustus; 18 years old.**  
 **District Two Male.**

* * *

Nikolai was calm.

Of course, he had to be. What kind of image would he give, surrended by enemies, if he was nervous? They already thought of him as weak, Sadie and her Career friends. _Let them,_ he thought. Soon enough, he would prove them all wrong. He was already playing the Game, just like his lovely district partner, but Nikolai was playing it by his own rules. Unlike them, who were only motivated by the thought of winning, Nikolai had something to prove.

Not only to himself, but to everyone back home. All of his life, people looked on him, like he was nothing but a common boy from the outer-districts, without a chance of ever making it out of the Hunger Games. He did their weapons, everything that they trained with, it all went down to Nikolai in the end. If it wasn't for Nikolai and his family, District Two wouldn't even be a Career district.

He was here, and he had a chance, exactly like all the other twenty-three tributes. But most all, he had a point to prove. And if everything went according to his plan, tomorrow would only be the beggining. Oh, how he couldn't wait to see the look on Sadie's face, when he started to take everything away from her, piece by piece.

He would destroy the Careers. When he got to the Capitol, Nikolai had other plans. Kill them one by one, and in the end, it would be him against Sadie. A trained Career against the weapon smith's son. But before that could happen, he had to take her allies out of the way.

Nikolai wouldn't bother with the work of being the one to take them out. No, he was far too lazy for that, and refused to get his hands went with Career blood. After all, he came from a Career district. People might have hated him, but what would be the point, if they still hated him when he got back home? No, he would let the Games and the other tributes take care of the Careers. By the end of the Games, Sadie's blood would be the only one in his hands.

It was only when a tall man appeared in front of him, with curled green hair and piercing blue eyes, that Nikolai's attention was brought back into the interviews. "Two seconds left," He claimed, his voice sounding quite bored. They were all in a single line, from District One to Twelve, with the girls leading and the boys behind.

Sadie was right in front of him, a few strands of hair falling out of her ponytail, looking completely beautiful in an orange ball gown. In the end, when all was said and done, Nikolai had nothing against her. There was a part of him, even if it was pretty small, that respected her. Both of them wanted the same and yet, only one of them would be able to get it.

She was a warrior, trained to fight by the very best, but so was Nikolai. And in the end, there was only one contrast between the two of them. Nikolai had the experience, about what it felt like to suffer throught kicks and punches, every single day of his life. But not matter what other made him go through, Nikolai knew how to control his emotions.

He wouldn't get anywhere if he let his emotions get in the way, that was as certain as the sun. But Sadie and the other Careers, they didn't. They knew they were powerful, and they lived in the illusion that no one would be able to stop them. Anger, happiness, pride, it all got in the way. It was the biggest advantage that Nikolai had over them.

Tonight, he would make sure that they knew. That everyone knew what he was planning to do, and what he was hoping to prove. Tonight, he would make the whole Panem love him. No matter what it took.

In front of them, there was a small screen, supposed to make them watch the other interviews, as they prepared for their own. The screen illumined the room, and soon a robotic voice started the night. "Ladies and gentlemen, your Master of Ceremonies, Caesar Flickerman!" Caesar Flickerman, all dressed in pink from head to toe, came into view.

The screams and cheers of the Capitol people had never been louder. They loved Caesar, with his award-winning smile and easy ways, and Nikolai couldn't say that he was suprised. If there was someone good in the Capitol, it had to be Caesar. He did his best to make the tributes feel at home, and when they said something they shouldn't, he quickly corrected it with a smile.

Caesar quickly bowed, all smiles, but it was clear that the cheers weren't about to die out anytime soon. "Welcome, welcome, to the interview night for the Seventy-Second Hunger Games! Tonight, we'll meet them. All of the tributes that you heard about. Who's excited?" The crowd roared in agreement, and the older man lead the District One girl away, ready to start her interview.

"And now, all the way from District One, let's have a warm round of applause, for Alexa Cadwell!" If the crowd had quiet down, they lose it completely when Alexa appears. Nikolai had to give it to her, Alexa was completely gorgeous, even more than Sadie. With her brown hair curled, and a beautiful puffy blue dress, she could as well be crowned Victor right there.

It was only when Alexa took her seat on the red couch, waving to everyone around her, that Caesar managed to calm down the crowd. "My, my, Alexa, you look absolutely gorgeous. We've had beautiful girls from District One, but I don't think we've ever had someone like you." Nikolai wasn't sure that many people noticed how Caesar rubbed Alexa's leg, and how she leaned away from him, gently.

Alexa chuckled. "Caesar, you're too kind." The audience laughed loudly, and right there, the cheers were back.

It was only when Caesar started talking again that the cheers managed to die out. "So, Alexa, tell me. With the lovely entrance at the tribute parade, and your incredible training score of nine, the Capitol as been wondering. Who are you, Alexa?"

Alexa's smile didn't disappear when she replied, but Nikolai could see that it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm me, Caesar. I'm the same Alexa that left District One, and hopefully, I'll be the same Alexa when I manage to get out of the Games. I'm not hoping to be anyone else in the Games, just me."

Caesar cheered loudly, and soon, the crowd followed. They loved her, and well, they had no reason to hate her. When Alexa's three minutes ended, the cheers still hadn't died out. "And now, let's welcome the handsome Mr. Aidan Lainell, from District One!"

Aidan's interview went by relatively quicker than Alexa's, but still, the crowd loved him as much as they loved her. When the three minutes were about to end, Caesar made the final question. "Aidan, I think all of us have been wondering why did you volunteer?"

Aidan's answer was quick. "My family, Caesar. My parents and my siblings, they did everything they could for me, and without them, I wouldn't be here. It's finally time I pay them back, for everything they did for me. When I win, it will be for them." Nikolai had to give it to him, the boy deserved every cheer that he got.

Seconds later, Caesar called for Sadie. "From District Two, let's welcome the stunning Sadie Ariste!" Even in there, Sadie's smug grin never left her face. She knew how to play, though, Nikolai had to give her that. Caesar and Sadie engaged in conversation, and soon, they had gotten to the subject of her training score, and how Tiena had matched her training score.

"Tiena and I are very much alike, Caesar. We both know what we want, and at the end of the way, it's nice to have someone by your side that knows exactly what needs to be done."

One. Two. Three. Sadie left the stage, and Caesar called for Nikolai. "All the way from District Two, let's have a round of applause, for Nikolai Faustus!" At the sound of his name, Nikolai was already on stage, fixing his air and tie. When Nikolai walked out to greet Caesar, who already had an hand out for him to shake, he felt like someone new.

It was so different. Out there, with all the cheers, screams and colors, it almost felt like a dream. A nice one, but one that he would have to leave behind, if he ever wanted to win. With all the confusion, Nikolai almost didn't notice Caesar leading to the couch, and seconds later, they sat down.

"Nikolai, Nikolai! I have to see, out of everyone we have met so far, you're the one I was more excited to meet." Nikolai almost rolled his eyes, but he couldn't. Not there.

"I have to say, Caesar, I was quite excited to meet you too. It's not everyday that one gets the honor to meet the stunning Caesar Flickerman." Caesar giggled, and soon, he turned to the ground, laughing loudly. "Isn't he a charmer, ladies and gentleman?"

The crowd roared for him, and all that Nikolai could hear was his name, in cheers and sometimes, even in cries. "Now, Nikolai, let's talk your score. A four, wasn't it? A respectable score but still, I have a feeling you weren't quite happy about it. Care to tell us your opinion?

Nikolai reflected on his answer. "To be completely honest, Caesar? I could have gotten a better score, but I decided that I wouldn't try that hard."

Caesar raised an eyebrow. "Care to explain us why?"

Nikolai already knew his answer, but he stopped, pretending to consider it. "I was too lazy." For a second, there was silence. But then, both the crowd and Caesar bursted out laughing.

"Too lazy, you say? Tell me, Nikolai, why did you volunteer? Perhaps there was someone back home you were hoping to impress?" Caesar interrogated.

"Not really, Caesar. You see, I'm not here to remain myself, or to to repay something to my family. I'm here to prove a point, one that as been following me for years." He replied.

"To prove a point," Caesar repeated. "What kind of point is that, if I may ask?" Nikolai only shaked his head.

"I can only tell you one thing, Caesar. Tomorrow, you will meet the real Nikolai Faustus. You, and everyone else going to that arena with me." Before Caesar could ask him anything else, the buzzer rang, and his three minutes were done.

Tomorrow, his plan would start, and he would finally break the Careers. But to break them, he had to do it from the inside.

And so he would.

* * *

 **Tiena Pensiere; 18 years old.**  
 **District Four Female.**

* * *

Tiena had everything planned.

It made her feel good, and for a few seconds, she was able to relax. Everything was planned; from her interview in a few minutes, to the Games and hopefully, to the end. Unlike her fellow Career, Tiena could say that she wasn't worried about the future. She had everything planned in perfection, and when the time came, she would do what needed to be done.

They would never see her coming.

 _Unless you screw it all up, and then, there will be no one to save your sorry ass._

 _You're not playing pretend anymore, Tiena. This is real life._

No. This time, she wouldn't mess up, because there were much more important things at stake. Not her reputation; because Tiena never really gave a damn about that; but her own life. If she would ever see Damian again or not, it all depended on her. People always had a word to say about what she did, either because she was small, or a girl, or someone that would never be able to go back home a Victor.

She had proved them wrong in one part. She had earned everything she received, because she knew what it was like to get her hands dirty. She knew what it was like to do what no one else wanted to, because it was necessary. That's what had gotten her the place as the District Four female tribute and what would get her home, hopefully.

She needed Damian by her side. Of course, she was glad that he wasn't there with her, but she needed him. Damian had always been her rock, her support, the one thing that she always went back to, when things got rough.

Damian had always been there for her, whenever she achieved something in her life, he was the first one to tell her how well she did. That she truly deserved what she got, because she worked her. She needed that in her life; someone to recognize that she worked, and that she struggled for things.

Now, it would be the time to let everyone know.

Once Nikolai left, brushing past them with a knowing smile in his face, Caesar called the girl from District Three. A tall asian girl, with beautiful black hair, Nerinea knew how to play the crowd. Most of all, Tiena got a sense that she knew how to play the men. Her jokes, her looks, the glances that she was trading with Caesar, it was all pointing to that.

Whatever. If it came down to it, the girl would be dead soon enough. All of them would be, from Alexa to the boy from Twelve, excluding her. She didn't mind killing. It was a necessary thing to be done, just like her volunteering. If she hadn't volunteer, she would be nothing.

Tiena had been there. She had known the feeling of being nothing, of not mattering to anyone, but herself. It was risky, but it was worth it.

"You look very beautiful today, doll." Jasko whispered, leaning in closer, and Tiena had to fight the urge to push him away. People like him, they were the ones got everything they wanted, just because they had the luck of being born with a pretty face. Tiena had been born a girl, small, but still, she refused to bow down to him.

She didn't need any of them. Alexa, Sadie, Aidan, Jasko, they were all the same thing. Temporary allies, and just paws that she had to play, in order to win. Soon enough, they would destroy each other, and Tiena would be long gone by then.

But right now, in that precise moment, she needed them. Without an alliance, without the title of "Career" to her name, they would come after her, and she would be nothing more than an another one casuality to her name.

Nobody would remember Tiena Pensiere in the end, and she couldn't let that happen. If she was going to die; she was going to die with some dignity to her name, and fighting. She hadn't volunteered for the Hunger Games, a death match where anything could happen, to die a coward.

If she died, she would go do fighting, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't take down as many of them with her.

"Thank you, Jasko. You don't look so bad yourself." When he didn't reply to that comment with the usual sassiness, Tiena knew that something was wrong. Or at least, that Jasko was about to tell her something quite important.

"Listen, Tiena, tomorrow is the big day. Aidan and I, well, we don't quite trust Sadie. Everything will go as planned, but if something happens... I need to know that you have our back. District partner loyalty, and all of that."

 _For now._ If things came down to it, or if it suited her, Tiena would support Jasko and the boy from one. But for that moment, her loyalty was with whoever suited her purpose better. And right now, the whole alliance needed to stick together, or things would fall apart quickly.

They were Careers, supposed to be taking out the weaker competition, and saving the crown to one of their districts. They weren't supposed to destroy each from inside out, and make things easier for the outer-districts.

"Yes, I have your back." Tiena agreed, but something came to her mind a few seconds later. "But if you do anything stupid, anything to destroy the alliance before it's time, I can assure you that I know where my loyalty lies." Jasko happily grinned, and returned to his place behind her, waiting for his interview.

For now, she was with him. But when the time came, that would be when Tiena would settle the matters between her and Jasko. _Save your anger for when the time comes._

And when it finally did, they wouldn't even know what hit them.

"Up next is Blaine Parker, from District Three!" There only two things that Tiena had noticed about that boy from Three; firstly, he had to many tattoos to ever be considered normal and lastly, he was allied with Nikolai, who was their most dangerous enemie, according to Sadie.

Which probably made him an enemy too, and only another victim to take down.

"Blaine, what is the most important thing for you?" If Caesar was starting to get tired by then, he certantly didn't let it show. He was a mix of happiness, confidence, and trust. For a minute, Caesar could almost make them forget where they were headed to.

The boy gave them a half-smile, but anyone paying close attention could see that it didn't reach his eyes. "My cigarettes, I can say. And my friends play a close part in my life too, but it's all just that. Average."

Her turn. "And now, we have the first half of District Four! Please, let's have a warm round of applause for the lovely Tiena Pensiere!"

 _Don't screw this up, Tiena._

 _Make yourself stand out._

 _Make them love you._

Putting the best smile that she could manage on her face, Tiena took a large stride onto the stage. Waving to the crowd, who greeted her with fervent cheers of her name, Tiena sat down next to Caesar, who kissed her hand.

 _Be a lady. A proper one._

Tiena crossed her legs over one another, and winked at Caesar. "Tiena, my dear, you look amazing tonight." The look that he was giving her, or her legs mostly, made Tiena want to puke.

 _Tell him. Don't ruin it._ _Smile._

"Thank you, Caesar. I love my dress, it's a wonderful thing." Standing up, Tiena gave a little twirl, showing off the back side of her dress. It was blue, to match her eyes like her stylist had said, and left her upper back completely bare. Tiena hadn't agreed with it at first, but Mags had told her that it was a nice idea. "All the credit is due to my stylist, though. She created this wonderful piece."

That with would get her sponsors.

And sponsors would save her life.

"And you truly make it better, my darling. But now, tell me. Why did you volunteer? What are you doing here?" Caesar inquired. Wasn't that obvious already, though?

"I volunteered to win, Caesar. To make sure that I hadn't been training and struggling for anything, but mostly, I volunteered to be someone."

 _To make sure that I wouldn't be nothing. Never again._

"To be someone," Caesar repeated, playing with the words in his tongue. "I must say, you surely are someone, Tiena. With a training score like yours, and the impression that you made when you arrived here, I can surely say that there isn't a soul in the Capitol, or in Panem, that doesn't know your name."

 _I did it, then._

Caesar noticed her smile, and took that opportunity to continue. "Now, we have heard the opinions of your fellow allies from One and Two, but now it's your turn. How do you feel about tomorrow, Tiena?"

 _I'm scared. Terrified._

"Wonderful, Caesar. I mean, it's what I train to do. It's an honor to be representing my District, but I didn't get here just because I had a pretty face." The alliance laughed at that. "I got here because I struggled, and I earned everything I got. But most of all, I'm representing myself _and_ my family."

"Your family," Caesar continued. "Care to tell us about to them?"

"It's nothing special, Caesar, but they mean the world to me. My parents, they did everything they could for me, and I couldn't love them more for that. And then there's..." Tiena couldn't help the blush that came to her cheeks, when she thought of Damian.

Caesar took the opportunity. "Ohhh, I saw that. Tell us, Tiena, what is his name? He must be a lovely young man to catch your heart, my darling."

"Damian. His name is Damian, Caesar. He stayed with me through everything, and I couldn't love him more for that. Besides my parents, there isn't anyone more suportive than Damian."

"So you can say it's serious?"

Tiena nodded. "I love him, Caesar. And I'm not afraid to cut down anyone in my way, if it means that I'll go back to him." Caesar stood up, and kissed her hand, for the final time.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Tiena Pensiere of District Four!"

Part one was complete. Tomorrow, the real work would begin.

* * *

 **Bastian Steppes; 17 years old.**  
 **District Eleven Male.**

* * *

Bastian hated when he had to wait.

But yet, he hated mostly everything that wasn't his family or himself, so he could really complain. Not yet, anyway. When he got on stage, that was when the real fun would begin. Chaff had warned him against saying anything about the Capitol, but Bastian couldn't care less. He wasn't quite sure about what he was going to say, but he would decide it, when Diamond Dick started to ask his questions.

It was torture. Having all twenty-three white little shits climb up on that stage, and claim how much they loved their life and their family, and in the Career's case, whinning about how they would surely be the prefered Victor.

Yeah, right. If Bastian had a final say about anything in the Games, then he would make sure that no Career would leave that place alive. The others, well, he didn't mind them that much. They might have been little white shits, but for all that Bastian, they were just trying to survive and to go back to their family.

He couldn't hate them for that. But boy, he could hate the Careers. In front of him was Amina, dressed in an ironically white dress, with her hair up in a bun. Bastian had been trying to talk to her, but she was too focused on the other interviews to even notice him. She never really did pay him anything attention. Bastian wondered if she would pay him any attention when he drove a knife through her heart.

When the boy from Nine finished his interview, shaking Caesar's hand with a grin on his face, Bastian sighed, and only turned his attention back to the television when Flickerman called the girl from Ten, Leila. "All the way from District Ten, let's meet our lovely red-head, Leila Rorie!"

Just from the way she walked onto the stage, Bastian could tell that she was someone that they would love. Someone people were born with the gift to know the right words to say, or how to lie as easily as they breathed. Others, like Bastian, couldn't care less about what other people thought. It didn't made him very popular, but Bastian didn't care.

He was who he was, and whoever didn't like it, could take their opinions somewhere else.

"Welcome, Leila, welcome!" Caesar says, leaning in to kiss her hand probably, but Leila quickly closes the space between them , and hugs him. The audience was unstoppable after that. Screaming her name, whistling - and they had a lot of reasons, probably. Her beauty. Her training score. Her training score.

If there was anyone standing out, in a sea of brown and blonde, it was Leila, with her fiery red hair.

Everyone already knew who she was.

Leila and Ceasar engaged in conversation; with the girl cracking out jokes about District Ten, and how much she missed life in there.

However, Caesar only manages to stop the crowd when they finally get to the emotional part of the interview. "So, Leila, tell me. Such a stunning young girl like you, there must be someone back home that caught your eye," Leila blushed, lowered her eyes, and quickly nodded. "Tell us about him."

"Not him, Caesar. Her. My girl. Her name is Sadie, and I-I never got the chance to tell her I loved her. I had been so caught up in things that didn't truly matter, and in the end, I never got the chance to tell her." Cries of sympathy were heard from both the crowd, and Caesar.

"If you got the chance to tell her something, what would it be?" Leila took a deep breath, and focused on the camera a few meters away from her face.

"S-Sadie, I love you. More than anything in the world, and if I didn't say it before, it was because I wasn't stupid enough to realize when I was still with you. But I do, baby. And trust me, I'm coming back. For the both of us." The cries of "Leila! Leila!" only stopped once Ceasar introduced her district partner.

"Up next, Coulter Xenophon, from District Ten!" The boy walks slowly to the stage, head down and a hand in each of his pockets. He sat across from Caesar, only managing to smile a little bit from time to time, and Bastian couldn't help it but wonder how two people could be so different. Coulter and Leila, from the same place, but as different as the sun and the moon.

Very much like himself and Amina.

"Coulter, tell me! How are you finding the Capitol? Very different from your home, like your district partner mentioned?" Coulter quickly bowed his head, avoiding the camera, but there was a hint of a smile in there.

"D-District Ten i-is my home, and I would love nothing more than to go back to it, b-but the Capitol gave me something that I never had, all those years back home." Caesar raised a questioning eyebrow. "And what may that be? Please don't tell me it's the food. I'd love nothing more than to chat about the food that our lovely Capitol, but sadly my boy, we only have three minutes left."

Coulter gave the camera a bright smile, for the first time in his interview, and from what Bastian remembered, it ws probably the first time that he had truly smiled since they arrived in the Capitol. Not that Bastian payed much attention to little white kids, but there were somethings that no one could forget, not even if they tried. "A friend, Ceasar. Oliver, from District Nine. He-he is my friend." He said, emphasis on every word.

Bastian couldn't help it but laugh to myself. Those kids, they had no idea of what real life truly is. Of what someone had to do to survive, and that when things got rough, everyone turned their backs on their so called _friends._ There were no friends in the world, only the people that you could count in, but only for short period of time.

Everyone had something that they truly wanted. Either was it money, power, or survival in their case, everyone wanted something. And sometimes, two people with a common goal could join together to get what they wanted, but it was nothing more than that. A common goal to reach, and after that, everyone went their separate ways.

There were no friends in the world. Only two people with a common goal, and most times, it ended in betrayal by one of them or maybe by both.

Bastian had seen all of that. He had been forced to grow up, when he was nothing but a mere boy of seven, to make sure that his family wouldn't starve to death. They were all that mattered, them and himself, of course.

That was why he hated white people, but most of all, he hated Careers. He hated them with a passion; because in the end, when everything was said and done, they had everything that Bastian wanted, without lifting a finger to get it. They were popular, they had enough money to live a wonderful life, but still, they volunteered for a death match, without ever realizing that they might never come back.

Oh, how he would love to be the one to show them what a big mistake they had made. To take everything they had from them. _Tomorrow,_ he reminded himself. _Tomorrow, you'll get that chance._

"District Eleven is up next with the lovely Amina Conlan!"

He didn't want to admit it, and he wouldn't, but Amina wasn't anything bad. In a green dress, with her hair curled, she could almost pass as someone important. Someone who had the rest of her life ahead of her, or someone who was about to go on to a party, living life as she was supposed to be. Young, wild, but most of all, free.

Not as a pig being ready for slaughter.

"Amina, Amina! Tell us, how is life back in District Eleven? I heard it's a peaceful life."

"Ah, Caesar, you see you did get something right," Amina chuckled. "It's a peaceful life, yes, but only for those that can afford living it in a peaceful way. It has rules, like any other place. But I'm used to rules, Caesar. I lived with them my whole life, and I'm not changing now."

Bastian didn't want to ally with her, in the first place. He wanted to go at it alone, like he had planned, but Chaff and Seeder insisted that the two of them would be much better together. That they could last longer, rest, and maybe even have a better chance in a fight against other alliances, if it ever came down to it.

He didn't like her, but he didn't hate her, either. For Bastian, who hated nearly everything and everyone, it was an improvement. If he couldn't win, if someone got in the way... Then he wanted Amina to win and go home, so that their families would have food.

For an entire year, they wouldn't have to worry about anything.

"And now we have Bastian Steppes!" Bastian was all dressed in red, a courtesy of his stylist. He thought that it would be ironic, the soon to-be-Career slayer, all dressed in blood red.

Bastian wanted nothing more than to tell him to fuck off.

When Caesar extends a hand for him to shake, Bastian walks right past him, sitting down on the couch. Yes, he might be dead in less than a week, but that didn't mean that he had to change his own personality.

He was who he was; and if anyone didn't like it, it was their problem, not his.

"Bastian, how are you liking the Capitol so far? I can surely say, that you have been a suprise for us, so far! Such a strong young lad."

Bastian only rolled his eyes. "And such a perfect big for slaughter, wouldn't you say? But to answer your question, no, I have not been enjoying the Capitol so far. It's so boring, and full of little white shits."

The crowd burst out laughing. Bastian wanted nothing more than to tell them all to fuck off, and walk right of that stage, but he couldn't. Not yet, not until he sent a message to his family.

"Well, that is certantly one way of seeing it. Tell us about your family! I'm sure they are quite confident that you will make it back home to them."

"I wouldn't need to be away from them if it wasn't for your stupid reaping. But my family, they're all I have. Unlike the rest of the fuckers in the whole world, they are nice people. And I intend to do anything I can for them."

"Anything at all?" Caesar questioned.

"Anything. Even slay one of your little white fuckers, otherwise known as the _Careers._ They think that they are so great, so good, but I'll end them. Every single one of them."

The buzzer gave the signal to the end of his interview, and Bastian didn't need to be told twice. He was out of there in seconds, ignoring the rest of the tributes as he passed by them.

He only needed himself. And in the end, Bastian hoped that it would be enough.

* * *

 **A/N:** This took a little longer than what I was expecting, but hey, it's here! This was a pretty long chapter... wasn't supposed to be this long, but I ended up writing much more than what I was expecting.

I couldn't show everyone, or this would go up 10,000 words, but I did my best to show as many people as I could.

Eh... the interviews are hard to write. They're a bit boring, too long, but still, they are necessary. Oh well, they're done, and we'll get to the interesting parts soon enough.

Next up: the Launch. And then, we have the Games. I'm not making any promises, but I hope to have the bloodbath published before the end of August. So expect an update pretty soon with the Launch, and then we have the Games.

Reviews are very much appreciated, too. I'm not killing your tribute because you don't review, but they motivate me to write the next chapter quicker. (Also, it's nice to have feedback in how I'm writing your tribute. Otherwise, I have no idea if I'm doing them wrong or right.)

Anyways, did any interviews stand out, from those that we saw?

Okay, I'll see you all soon enough. XD


	17. Not Your Way

**Chapter Seventeen.**  
 **Launch.**

* * *

 **Hex Fillian; 13 years old.**  
 **District Seven Male.**

* * *

He didn't want to leave.

When they had arrived at the Capitol, Hex hated it. He hated the people, with all the strenght he had left in him, for making him leave his family. His home, his best friend, everything that had once mattered to him was gone. All he had left was himself, Sedna, Blight and Johanna.

But now, that the big day had arrived, he didn't want to leave. Not really, anyway. The Capitol might have been many things, but at least, he was safe in there. No one was trying to kill him. In the arena, he would never have a safe minute.

 _You can handle it. You're not alone. Not anymore._

Oliver and Coulter. In a place that he never expected it, Hex had made friends. People that he would be able to count with, when the time came. When they were all fighting for their life in that arena, it would be nice to have someone that wouldn't betray him at first turn.

In the Capitol, Hex had changed from a scared little boy, to someone who thought that he knew what he was doing.

He had to be strong. Even if he was breaking, deep inside, he had to be strong because it wasn't just about him. It was about his parents, who had already lost one child. If they lost another one, if they lost him, then Hex didn't know what would happen.

His family would fall apart. All because he wasn't strong enough to realize what he had to do, and what was expected of him to do.

It wasn't child's play anymore. Back in District Seven, he could be whoever he wanted to be, without people bothering him about it. He was just Hex; the thirteen year old, Wyla's best friend, and his parent's only child. Curious, fun-loving Hex, who loved nothing more than to spend an afternoon with his best friend, throwing rocks into the river.

But he couldn't. In there, Curious, fun-loving Hex wouldn't last a minute, and he couldn't let that happen. He vowed that he would break people expectations of him. All they saw was the youngest's tribute, the one who wouldn't stand a chance when the Games finally started.

It was killing him. If there was anything that Hex had promised to do, if he was ever reaped for the Games, it was to remain himself. No matter what the Capitol did, he would remain himself. But back then, he was a boy, with hopes of being happy for the rest of his life.

In there, he saw how things truly worked out. He saw how people looked at him, mostly the Careers, like he didn't stood a chance. Even his own mentor, and escort, knew it. Hex, he was just a little boy, but he wanted to do something for himself while he still could.

He had to be strong. He didn't have his parents, or Wyla, to look after him while he was lost in his endless world of fun. In there, he only had himself and his emotions. And right now, fear was taking over him.

Last night, at the interviews, he had been filled with a sense of hope. He had an alliance with two stronger older boys, and he had scored higher than the boys from Five and Eight, who were sixteen and eighteen. His interview, well, he wasn't the most loved tribute. People still prefered the Career, stronger and trained and beautiful, but Hex had done his best.

He had let them all know, and now, it was all in his hands. It didn't mean that he wasn't scared, because he was. For the previous days, it was easy to focus on something else. But right now, minutes before they had to leave for the arena, Hex couldn't stop his hands from shaking.

He was already up, of course. He hadn't gotten any sleep in the previous, or in the nights before that. Every last second that Hex had, for the past few days, was spent thinking. About his family, about his strategy, even about his little sister. How he wished that she could have been alive, so their parents would have someone to be there with them when he died.

When - If he died, they would have no one.

 _That is why you have to fight, idiot. For them._

A gentle knock on the door told Hex that it was time. "Hex, sweetheart, it's time to go." Tatia's gentle voice echoed through the room. "Sedna is already up, and we can't deliver you both late."

"I'll be out i-in a second." Consider how much his hands were shaking, Hex was suprised that his voice came out so calm. Good, that was good. If he showed to people that he was ready, he could maybe start to believe that he was.

But he wasn't. _Oh God._ The tears started to blur his vision, but Hex had to blink them away. He couldn't cry, not there. He had his time to cry over the past four days, his time to mourn the death of the old Hex, and now it was time to act.

Act or die.

Taking one last look at what had been his room for the past week, Hex nodded. He had already taken a shower and brushed his teeth, for what could have been the last time, and all the time that he had was done with thinking. About his strategy, about his allies, and about what he had to do. He took a time to think about his family, about his little sister and Wyla, and say goodbye to them. From now on, they could only be on his heart, not on his head.

His head would have to be filled with the Games, and the best way to survive. For all that Hex knew, it would be over in less than one hour for him. His heart would stop beating, his eyes would close, and Hex Fillian would be no more. But the least he could do, was to know that he tried. That he did his best, even if it wasn't enough in the end. That way, he could die peacefully, because they would know that he did his best.

Looking at his reflection in the hallway mirror, Hex managed a weak smile. Somewhere, deep inside, he was still that boy from Seven. The one who had lost his little sister at such a young age, and the boy who did his best for his family. The Hunger Games were forcing him to grew up, but there was one thing that they could never take away from him, no matter how hard they tried.

The boy he used to be, and his memories of love, happiness and even sadness belonged to him, and no one else. They were buried deep down, giving him strenght to do what was necessary, but they were his. It was something that the Capitol would never get, no matter what. They could take his life away, but they could never get that.

Deep down, he wanted to believe that he was still little Hex. And he wanted to be, with every last bit of strenght that he had. He wanted to believe that he had kept the promise that he made to himself before he was reaped, and didn't allow the Capitol to change him.

 _They didn't change you. You just started to see things differently._ He could have died as himself, but he didn't want to. He wanted to have a chance at surviving, and for what, he had to bury the boy from District Seven for a while. Maybe he didn't have to become someone else. He just had to be strong, and hang in there until it was over.

He wasn't even doing it for himself, it was all for them.

Wyla. His parents. His little sister. Home.

They were somewhere that only Hex knew, all of those precious memories. Somewhere where they would be able to give him strenght, but not get in the way when it was necessary. Could he kill? Hex didn't know the answer to that question just yet. Could Oliver and Coulter kill? He had no idea. But there was one thing that he knew, and that might have been the only thing that would make him survive.

He knew that he wasn't just a thirteen year old, destined to die in the Bloodbath. He was a boy, with hopes and dreams, but most of all, a big will to survive. And the more he thought of home, of the trees and the rivers and the faces of the people he loved, his will to survive became even bigger.

Maybe the Hunger Games weren't there only to destroy him, but to make him stronger. Maybe, they were there to show him that he had it in himself all along, no matter what other people said.

"I'm ready. Let's go."

* * *

 **Fabian Tanaka; 18 years old.**  
 **District Eight Male.**

* * *

Fabian had made a decision.

All four days were now gone. He had trained, he had made an alliance, and now it was time for the Games. He was nervous, of course, but Fabian had decided to leave it all to fate. Every plan that he had made, it all come out the other way around. Fabian never wanted an alliance, but Woof and their escort told him that it was for the best.

He worked better on his own. Always had, and always would. When his sister left, he was the only there. The boy had died, and he was forced to become a man sooner than he should. It could given him an advantage in the Games. While most tributes were children forced to become soldiers, he was ready.

Not ready to die, but ready to face whatever the Gamemakers were about to throw at them. He had done his best, Fabian was sure of it. His training score wasn't good, but he had worked hard for it. They knew it. Woof and Cadell, Nikolai and Blaine and even Brooke.

If Fabian died, then he knew that he had tried his best, in absolutely everything. That was the only thing that he could do for them, for Harper and for their mother. To let them know that he had tried his best, that he had worked as hard as he could, even if was probably not enough in the end.

He couldn't do anything else. His destiny was in fate's hands, and whatever happened, he couldn't fight against it. Currently, all five of them were sitting on the dinner table, for what would probably be the last time. At least, for himself and Brooke. Cadell, Woof, and Emira would be there for the next year, and for the one after that.

No matter what happened to him and Brooke, they would stil be there. It was their duty to the Capitol, reap a tribute, watch them die and then do it all over again. If Fabian died, he would never have to deal with anything like that ever again. He wouldn't have to mentor children, maybe even people that he knew, and watch them die all over again and then bring their bodies back to their family.

"So brats, are you ready to die?" Cadell smirked, pouring over a drink for herself. Woof didn't matter to say anything to his daughter anymore, but Fabian could see the sadness in his eyes. That was the thing about Fabian. He might have been quite, but he noticed things that other people didn't. When others were bothered with their talking, Fabian noticed the things that other people worked so hard to hide.

"Cadell!" Emira's eyes widened. "That's not something you say to your own tributes, not minutes before they walk into the arena."

Cadell rolled her eyes. "Well, she's mine," She pointed at Brooke, who rolled her eyes in return. "I have nothing to do with the boy. But you and I both know, dearest Emira, that they are doomed to die. All twenty-three of them are, until there's one lonely soul that joins us."

"I think that I can take care of myself, Emira. Whatever Cadell thinks doesn't matter. We all have a chance, weak or strong." Brooke replied, taking another bite of her chocolate muffin.

Cadell was about to reply, after taking several sips of her wine, but all it took was one glance of Emira to shut her up. For now, anyway. "You two have a chance, no matter what anyone says. You have to use your brain and be smart."

Cadell cringed. "Yes, because their brain will be a shield when the Careers come after them." After taking one good look at both of them, Cadell sighed. "Look, you want an advice? Very well. When you step foot on that arena, you have to leave everything behind. Family, friends, hopes, dreams, all of that bullshit. It will only stop you from doing what you need to do, and get you a knife in the back."

Fabian looked down, feeling more nervous than before. Could he do it? Leave all of it behind? His family, all that he had been before? He didn't know, but Cadell was right. It would only slow them down.

"Eat everything you can," Emira said, after a while. "I don't suppose the arena will have much food, so it's good to pack up everything you can before we leave."

A hint of a smile appeared on Brooke's face. "Pack up? So we can take everything we want, right? I guess I'll just storm the kitchen for food and a few knives, and then we can leave."

Cadell smirked. "The girl got you good in that one, Emira." She turned to Brooke. "If you manage to get your ass back here, maybe we can even be friends."

"You can count on that."

Fabian ate as much as he could, but while drinking much water. It would be important, once they got to the arena, and if they managed to get out of the bloodbath. He would have to run, and to run more, he needed water.

When she finished her slice of apple pie, Emira stood up. "Well, it's time to go. Collect everything that belongs to you, and let's leave." Brooke took one more sip of her orange juice, and stood up, quickly following after Emira.

Cadell followed after them, and soon, it was only Fabian and Woof. Woof, well, no one truly bothered about him. Some said he went crazy when his only daughter volunteered for the Hunger Games, and some say he was more sane than most. But, in the end, all of them left him alone.

Taking one last look at the whole room; from the blue walls to the dinner table, still completely full of food, Fabian sighed. It was now or never. He had to leave everything behind, and enter the Seventy-Second Hunger Games as Fabian Tanaka, the District Eight Male Tribute.

He walked to the elevator, where the girls were waiting for him and Woof. When both of them entered, and the door closed, Fabian closed his eyes. Minutes later, they would be in the roof, with the other tributes, and the Games would start.

He could be dead in less than an hour. Fabian wondered if anyone would ever truly mourn him. His mother would fall back to the drugs, but maybe, Harper could mourn him. She was his sister, after all, and she owed that to him. After being gone for so long, all that she could do was mourn him.

He didn't hate her. Not really, anyway. She had done what a sixteen year old girl would do, and thought of herself. After all, where could she have gone if she had stayed with Fabian and their mother? No where. She did what was best and Fabian would have probably done the same, if he was in her place. She ran away, and she became someone, with love and a family, something that Fabian would have never had with their mother.

But he couldn't leave her. What kind of human being would he be, if he left his mother alone, without anyone to take care of her? It's true, she wasn't the best mother but she was still _his_ mother.

You don't abandon family.

Nothing would ever take away the memory of his home, and of everything good in his life. Life was made of good and bad moments, Fabian realized. He had his good ones, and his bad ones, but that didn't mean that he ever stopped living.

Whatever happened, he had lived his life, good or bad, it had been his life.

Nothing would ever change that.

* * *

 **Kaneki Idris; 16 years old.**  
 **District Five Male.**

* * *

They reached the roof.

Despite the fact that the sun burned Kaneki's extremely pale face, and the wind blowed his hair all around, he forced himself to keep his chin up. He couldn't let them see his weak side, he refused to let them see it.

He was the weakest tribute. Maybe even weaker than the little boy from Seven, who was the youngest, and was predicted to place 24th. Kaneki wasn't suprised when nobody wanted to ally with him, not really.

He was doomed to die. But still, with every step that he took towards that arena, there was a part of him that was still clinging to life. A part of him that told him that it was still possible for him to go home, to make things right with his family. To prove to the people he loved that he was still Kaneki, not some freak, like everyone thought.

Even there... even when his life was on the line, all that was on his mind was the goddamn blood.

It was the only thing that made him happy. Even their mentor, or Katarina herself, could figure it out if they looked closely enough. He spent entire nights with _it_ , like an old lover that Kaneki couldn't get enough of, and always came back for more.

He wasn't sure why he started drinking blood. His _own_ blood, for that matter. He cut himself, and then took a sip of his blood, over and over and over again, until he was satisfied. That was the thing, Kaneki was _never_ satisfied. He finished, and five minutes later, he was back for more. The more Kaneki tried to fight it, the stronger it became, demanding for more.

Did he even deserve to live? _You're a good boy, Kaneki. Hold on to that._ His father's words had echoed in his head for the past few days, but he still couldn't understand. What good did his father saw in him? He was nothing. Kaneki Idris was nothing but a monster, destined to die in the Seventy-Second Hunger Games. He deserve it, though, Kaneki could agree with it. After all, what he did must have been considered a sin.

"Well, kiddos, this is as far as I go. I can wait with you until the hovercrafts pick you up, but that's it. After here, it's all up to you." Calla gave them both a sad smile, but Katarina simply shrugged.

"If he needs you, stay. But for me, you can go. We're not children anymore." Kaneki didn't like Katarina a single bit, but he had to agree that she was right. All the other tributes were lined up, some talking to each other and some on their own, but none of the mentors were there. It made them appear childish, and in the arena, it could only be a bad thing.

Kaneki gave Cara his best attempt at a smile. "You can go. We'll be fine."

Calla nodded. "Good luck." With that, the elevator door opened again, and Calla was gone. His mentor, the only that had ever looked at him with some kind of sympathy, was gone. _Cheer up, Kaneki. You'll have to watch a lot of people disappear in the next few days, if you are going to live._

When he turned, Kaneki realized that Katarina was gone too. _Of course she was._

He was alone. Like he always. Why did it still suprise him?

Keeping his eyes on the ground, Kaneki actually prayed that time would fly. That way, he could finally figure out his future. If he lived or died, if he won or losed, all of it would happen in that arena, and not in there.

 _"Tributes,"_ A voice filled the air, coming form the speakers that were probably somewhere on the building. _"Please board the hovercrafts. District One throught Six to the first hovercraft, and Seven throught Twelve to the second one."_

Peacekeepers were placed at the opening of each hovercraft and when the tributes started to enter, they took a bit of blood. It took Kaneki all the strenght that he had left in his body to resist, and for that, he had to look away. He only allowed himself to relax when they were all in the hovercraft, sat and about to recieve god-knows-what.

Two women, both dressed in white with a mask over their nose and mouth, appeared at the door. One went to the first row of the tributes, and one to the other. It wasn't long until the woman reached Kaneki, a long syringe in her hand. "Give me your arm." It's over in seconds. Kaneki sticks his arm out, and the woman sticks the needle straight into his vein. A grey light glows for a moment, telling the woman that the tracker is set, and then disappears.

Next to him, Katarina curses when the woman sticks the needle into her arm. "No need to be so rude, lady. Some of us still know good manners, even if we're about to go into a death match." The lady ignored her completely, moving on to the boy from Six.

After that, Kaneki closed his eyes, ignoring everyone else around him. In one hour, it could all be over. Kaneki Idris would be no more, and his body would be sent home, in a wooden box. All of it would be over, for himself and for his family. They could finally forget that he ever existed, move on, and be happy.

He didn't want to die. Even if would probably be for the best, Kaneki didn't want to die. There was still so much he wanted to do, so much to say. He never tried to be better, because he thought people didn't care about him since the accident. But his father, he had to care, right?

 _You're a good boy, Kaneki. Hold on to that._

He was holding on to that, Kaneki realized, but he was also torn. One part of him wanted to give up, and die right after the Game started. The other one, however, wanted to fight. It wanted him to fight with every stenght that he had, and run, and make it back home. So he could tell his father that he was right to believe in him, that was a good boy, through and through.

Kaneki had no idea of how long they were flying. It could have weeks, months, until the hovercraft finally stopped and that was when the silence was broken. He could almost smell the fear, out of all twelve of them in that hovercraft, himself included.

No one wanted to die. Yet, twenty-three of them would.

The doors opened, and Kaneki could see twelve Peacekeepers lined up outside, waiting to enter. When the first one walked in, unbuckled the girl from One and took her away by the arm, Kaneki realized what was about to happen. Pigs for slaughter, indeed.

Soon enough the boy was taken, then Two, Three, Four and finally, one of the Peacekeepers unbuckled Katarina, took her by the arm, and dragged her away. When the Peacekeeper comes for him, Kaneki is ready. They walk, walk and walk until they reach a door with the label _Kaneki Idris, District Five Male._

Once the Peacekeepers push him inside, Kaneki finally allows himself to breath. "God, Kaneki, you look awful. Do you really want the cameras to see you like that?"

His stylist, Meera, sat on a small couch with a magazine in her hand, but quickly dropped it when she saw him."I g-guess not." When she quickly brought him in for a hug, Kaneki noticed his surrondings. The room didn't have much. It was small, and to his left, were some small hooks on the wall, a plastic bag with _Kaneki Idris, District Five Male_ in it. The arena outfit, probably.

Kaneki didn't know.

In the table next to the couch, was some food; a bottle of water, a few apples and some kind of candy bars. He wanted to eat, but at the same time, anything that he ate would surely come back up, a few seconds later.

"Okay, so, as you can see," Meera released him, poiting to several places. "That is your arena outfit. I didn't see it yet and well, no one but the Gamemakers knows what it is. We're not allowed to touch the arena outfits until you appear, y'know? We have some food over there, and there's the bathroom, if you have some last minute needs."

"I-I don't really want to eat anything, t-thank you." Meera sighed, walked over to the hooks, and brought the plastic bag with her. "Let's see what we have here, shall we?" She took out the first item, and passed it to Kaneki.

A black shirt, with all the buttons on the right place, presented itself to him. At first, Kaneki considered it too normal, but it could be a good sign. It meant that they were going anywhere too dangerous, right?

 _Keep thinking that, boy, and you won't even last to see another day._

He places it on the couch, and waits for the other item. Kaneki isn't really suprised when Meera takes out black trouses, that seem way too large for him. "It's supposed to be this way, I think. I gave them your sizes to everything, and if they sent it back like this, it means it's supposed to be this way."

Kaneki quickly nodded, and headed to the bathroom, to change. He took of his own clothes, but for a moment, he noticed his own reflection in the mirror. His scars were everywhere; from his back to his chest to his arms. But they were also a part of him and reminded him of where he came from and where he truly belonged.

When he walked back to the room, however, he noticed that there was still more to the outfit. Knee-high black boots, that probably wouldn't be good for running, only to keep his feet warm. He changed his current shoes for them, and Meera handed him the last two final pieces of his outfit.

The jacket was black, just like the rest of the outfit, and it had a hood that was probably big enough to cover Kaneki's entire face. "It has a fur," Meera explained, when he dressed it up. "And black reflets the heat. So I say it will pretty cold in where you are going to or pretty hot, and it's only to make it even hard for you."

Hot or cold. Hard or difficult. _Decisions, decisions._

"And last but not least," She handed him some sort of black glasses. "We have this."

Kaneki turned to her. "What is this for?" Meera just shrugged. "I have absolutely no idea. Could be just an acessory, but I doubt it. It must have a purpose. Everything in the arena does, after all. I just you keep it in your pocket for now, God knows what kind of stuff it can do."

Soon, the same robotic voice that ordered them to enter the hovercrafts, echoed through the room. " _Sixty seconds until launch."_

 _Oh God._ Kaneki's hands started to shake, and he could feel the tears blurring his vision. He really, really didn't want to die. God, he didn't deserve to die, did he? He was just sixteen, with a whole life ahead of him. He might have done bad things in the past, but he didn't deserve that.

He wanted time to change, and instead, fate gave him the Hunger Games.

Meera leads him to the tube on the other side of the room. "Good luck, Kaneki. I'm counting on you." As soon as the words leave her mouth, the tube closes.

For a second, all he has is silence, and memories of District Five flashing back in his head. The tube starts to rise up, up, up and up...

 _Please. I don't wanna die._

And it stops. At first, Kaneki can only think that his outfit truly matches the arena, and ahead of him, he can only see two things.

 _Darkness._ Death.

* * *

 _"Let the Seventy-Second Annual Hunger Games begin!"_

* * *

 **A/N:** I really don't know what to say. This chapter was a bit hard to write, and I'm not really happy with it, but eh. It's done, and next chapter, we start the interesting part of the Games. Damn. To be completely honest with you all, I never thought I would make it this far. To the launch chapter, and to the Games! Wow. It's a suprise for me, as a writer, but I couldn't have done it without all of you.

Since we start the Games next chapter, I wanna take the time to thank everyone who reviewed, submitted, followed, favorited, etc. It means a lot to me, and I wouldn't have made it here without all of you. A massive thank you, and I hope you stay around to see the rest of the story.

Next chapter, people start to die. I can't apologize, because all of us know the odds when we submit, but I'm sad to see some of them go. I love all twenty four of them, from Alexa to Tyson, and they're one of the reasons I made it this far. It's sad for me to see them go, but it's the Hunger Games, and what's a story without any deaths? I hope you stick around if your tribute died, but if not, thank you for reading this far.

By the way, I have to say, I wrote the bloodbath before this. It's all done, and was completed like a week ago. The faster it comes, depends on the number of reviews. If I know that people read this, I can update it. So if you want the Bloodbath maybe this weekend, you know what to do. ;)

Anywayssss, questions:

* * *

Who do you _want_ to die?

Who do you _think_ will die?

Any guesses on what the arena is?

* * *

See you soon, with the start of the Seventy-Second Hunger Games!


	18. Skyfall

**Chapter Eighteen.**  
 **Bloodbath.**

* * *

 **Sadie Ariste; 18 years old.**  
 **District Two Female.**

* * *

What?

A few seconds ago, Sadie's platform had set, and she finally managed to have a look on the arena. The first she had noticed was the darkness. There was nothing, not a single glimpse of the sun or a fire, to give them some kind of light on what the arena was supposed to be. It was only when all twenty-four platforms settled into the arena, that the only source of light came into view.

Around them, twenty-four torches illuminated the room at the same time, finally allowing Sadie to see her surrondings. She wasn't nervous, no. She was Sadie Ariste, and she was there to do what she had trained to do, all of her life. But hell, she was human, and Sadie had to admit that when she saw the arena for the first time, she was scared.

Hell, if anyone wasn't scared, then they weren't human.

They were in some sort of cave, all twenty-four plantforms in a circle around the Cornucopia. Besides the torches, and the light from the digital countdown at the top of the Cornucopia, there weren't any other light sources around. But it were the skulls and bones lining the walls, arranged in a macabre fashion, that finally told Sadie where they were. From all that she could see, the bones lining the walls went on and on and on, and for all that Sadie knew, that could be all there was to the arena.

Behind her, there was a tunnel of some sort, leading away to the darkness. Right, there must have been the way out of the cave. Sadie felt the nerves starting to creep up on her, but she quickly shaked them away. _You're a Career, not a street rat. Act like it._

She would explore the arena later, with the others by her side. Right now, it was time to do what needed to be done. To her left, there was the boy from Twelve and to her right, the girl from Five. She was a Career, trained with everything, including fists and feet. She could take both of them down, right there, without bothering to get a weapon.

But... what good could it be? What was stopping any of them from taking her out, while her back was turned?

No, she would deal with them later. It was only by then that Sadie noticed that it wasn't any normal Cornucopia, no. Lining up inside of it were twelve backpacks, each of them with the district number.

Only twelve. It was clear that they had only given them twelve backpacks to start confusion, and to make even more drama than what was going to happen in a few seconds. They... they expected them to work with their own district partners. Sadie almost cringed at that. Yes, that backpack was hers and if Nikolai tried to even reach it, she would end it, just like she would end that little alliance of his.

Her Games. Her backpack. Her victory.

 _40 seconds._

 _39._

 _38._

 _37._

She looked around, trying to find any of the remaining Careers, but the closest thing she could see was the back of Alexa's head. Good, that was good. If any of them messed up, she would take them out. When she remembered Jasko, Sadie tightened her hands into fists. Soon, she would soon him who the real boss was.

But now, it was time to play.

 _Twenty seconds._

She would soon them all, show them who the real Sadie was. She was much better than them, and would always be.

 _6._

 _5._

 _4._

 _3._

 _2._

 _1._

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Seventy-Second Hunger Games begin!"

When the gong sounded, Sadie bolted off her pedestal, proceeding to the center of the Cornucopia. The adrenaline rushed through her body, making her want to get to the Cornucopia faster. To get her hands on a weapon, and to kill. _Kill, kill, kill._

When she got there, it was at the same time that Nikolai did. Nikolai slamed into her, full force, and they went left and right on the ground. Sadie felt her anger taking the best of her, but for that moment, forced herself to think clearly. _He's not getting that backpack. Mine, mine, mine._ They weren't too far away from the center. She could, she could... yes. Sadie grabbed the first thing that her hands found, the awfully big District One backpack, and swinged it at Nikolai.

All it took was one second for Nikolai to get distracted, and for Sadie to get up. "You little shit," She spitted, adjusting her eye sight to her surrondings. "Thought you could beat me? Then you are as dumb as I thought." Grabbing Nikolai by the hair, Sadie sent her knee into his back, making him arch, and drap the backpack that he was once holding.

Once he fell, Sadie sent another kick to his ribs, and grabbed the backpack. Tearing it open, and dropping the useless things to the ground, she finally found what she was looking for. It was nothing but a simple knife, but it would be all that it took. She grabbed the knife and was about to swing at Nikolai's neck, when she noticed it. He was gone. _Shit._

If Nikolai thought that he could beat her, then he was in for a big suprise. When she finally got her hands on him, she would make him suffer. Piece by piece, he would die. But now, it was time to kill . A small boy - or was it a girl? - kneeled next to the backpacks, fiercely kicking backpack after backpack, probably looking for his own. This boy, Sadie didn't knew him.

It didn't matter. He would pay for what Nikolai had just done to her.

The boy only noticed her at the last second. He was from Eight, Sadie realized. But now, it wouldn't matter. He got up, and before Sadie could react, sent a quick punch flying towards her face, and tried to leave. Sadie didn't gave him enough time, grabbed him by the long hair, and sank the knife deep into his neck.

He gasped, and crumpled to the ground, the knife still in his neck. For a few seconds, the boy grabbed his throat, trying to stop the bleeding, but it wasn't worth it. He was done for good, and when his hand gave a final twitch, Sadie removed the knife. A poodle of blood was already starting to form around him, but she didn't care.

She had killed.

 _Let the Hunger Games begin._

* * *

 **Alexa Cadwell; 18 years old.**  
 **District One Female.**

* * *

It was complete chaos.

Alexa had met Tiena among the way to the Cornucopia, and to there, they watched each other's backs. They were very alike, Alexa and Tiena. Both of them weren't too loud, like Sadie and yet, both of them had something to prove.

And now, the time had come to prove it.

When they reached the Cornucopia, with Sadie already fighting Nikolai, Alexa motioned to Tiena. "Do you think we should help? I mean, she's our leader." _If Sadie died, maybe it could all be normal. Without her, they would simply be a normal Career pack._

She found herself wishing that Nikolai would just end Sadie's life, right there. "And that's exactly why we should stay out of the way," Tiena shrugged, picking up the District Four backpack, and a spear. "Just do what you have to do." With that, she left, chasing after the girl from Seven.

 _Do what you have to do._ Alexa repeated Tiena's words in her head, over and over again. She didn't want to kill, not really. She didn't have any pleasure in taking a life, or imaginating the family of the tribute mourning their loss back home. But she was also there because she _had_ to, not because she wanted to.

In the Hunger Games, there was a big difference between _have to_ and _want to._

Almost like she was in a dream, or a terrible nightmare for that matter, Alexa watched as Sadie sank her knife into the back of the boy from District Eight, without even blinking an eye. _She was supposed to be like that,_ Alexa realized. It's true, she didn't have that much sympathy for Sadie but in the end, Alexa respected her, for being exactly what a Career was supposed to be.

 _Beautiful. Deadly. Ruthless._

"Well, are you going to just stand there and look at me?" Sadie hissed at her, and the boys quickly joined them. Sadie turned to Alexa, and tossed her the District One backpack. Alexa caught it, and for a second she dared herself to hope. When her hands reached the handle of an axe, she couldn't help it but smile. Tossing the rest of the backpack contents at Aidan, she swang her axe.

"Bring me Nikolai," She spat. "I don't care who do you have to kill, or what do you have to destroy, but I want him dead by the end of the day." Aidan quickly nodded, and Alexa followed him, but only Jasko stayed quiet. "Go on! There are tributes to kill!" Aidan and Jasko went through different sides, and Sadie quickly retreated to the Cornucopia, probably to search for more weapons.

That was when Alexa noticed him. The smaller boy from Five, knealing by the body of the boy from Eight, a small knife in his hand.

 _Do it. End him. Or else, you are as useless as them._

The boy turned around, but the sight was haunting. His mouth was covered in blood, probably the boy's blood, and so was half of his shirt. W-what had he been doing? Drinking it? When the boy noticed her, axe in hand, he quickly got up. With the knife in his right hand, he extended his arm foward, and before Alexa could do anything, buried the knife in her shoulder.

Hot, agonizing pain ripped through her shoulder, but she tried to ignore it. She fell, and the boy sent kick after kick to her stomach. No, she couldn't, she couldn't die like that. Ripping the knife out of her shoulder, Alexa felt the tears streaming down her face, but she didn't pay it much attention. When the boy turned, ready to send another kick to her stomach, Alexa used every bit of strenght that she had, and sank the knife into the boy's foot.

He howled in pain, and tried to take it out, but it was in vain. Alexa was a Career, and she had a training score of nine, while the boy had a simple score of two. Everything he had gotten until there was mere luck. While he tried to get the knife out, Alexa used both of her legs and slammed them against his chest, pushing him down and giving her the opportunity to get up.

By then, all she wanted to do was to end his life and be done with it. He was done for good. He wouldn't be able to get the knife out of his foot, and even if he did, he would be too hurt to run. _This is your kill. End him._

Using her left hand, Alexa swang her axe, burrying it in the boy's chest, with all the strenght that she had. His back arched in pain, the axe still buried in his chest. Alexa ripped it out, and she was about to turn around and leave, when she noticed that the boy was still moving. "I'm sorry," She whispered. "But I really don't want to die."

When he saw what she was about to do, the boy gave her a thin smile. "T-thank you." Alexa lowered the weapon, and buried her axe on his head, ending his life. Alexa wanted to leave, but she seemed to be frozen on the spot. This boy... she had ended his life. Somewhere, in District Five, there were people crying for him. Mourning their son, brother, and friend.

They would always think of her as the monster that killed their boy. Tears blocked her vision, but Alexa quickly blicked them away. This wasn't a time for crying, or for being weak. If she wanted to get out of there, if she wanted to go home, this was the time to be strong. Alexa wanted to leave the arena as herself, and no one else. But right there, looking down on the body of the boy from Five, she realized one thing.

No matter what she wanted, the Games would change her in one way or another, for good or for bad. After all, how could anyone take someone else's life, and stay exactly like they were before that?

It wasn't possible. Or maybe it was, and Alexa was just missing something very important. She would have to go back into the fighting, though. One kill wasn't enough, of course it wasn't. There was so much to prove, and if she couldn't kill someone else, maybe she would lose all the sponsors that she managed to get in her interview.

 _I killed someone. You want me to kill again?_

 _I will. To prove myself, I'll do whatever it takes._

* * *

 **Preston Hewitt; 17 years old.**  
 **District Six Male.**

* * *

So far, luck had been on his side.

Preston gathered up his bow and a quiver; which he had had found inside the Cornucopia, when everyone was distracted. If they were somewhere else, that didn't involve a fight to the death, Preston would have loved nothing more than to join the fight. He was a teenager, and one that happened to love a few punches, here and there. But even if he was a little bit reckless, he had a brain. If he tried to join in the fight in there, he would end up with a knife on his back by the end of the day.

He stayed out of the way. Preston had sneaked into the Cornucopia, gotten his bow, and gotten out. Simple as that, but right now, came the hardest part. Right now, he had to find his allies. It was by then that something on the corner of Preston's eye caught his attention. A small backpack, smaller than the others at least, with a green _three,_ printed on the front.

He could make a run for it. And whenever the girls appeared, they could get the hell out of there, with two backpacks. Placing the quiver back in place, and with the bow on his right hand, Preston made a run for it.

His legs start to ache after a while, but Preston ignored the pain completely when he got his hands on the backpack. He threw it over his shoulder and was about to consider to get and get a torch - wherever those tunnels lead to, it probably would be dark - when a sharp pain to the back of his head knocked him to the ground. One of the backpacks rolled away and landed a few meters away from Preston, while the other remained on his shoulder.

"What the hell do you want?" Preston spat, before he managed to see who it was. Preston barely had time to recognize the boy from Three, before the older boy got the chance to send his fist flying into Preston's face. It wasn't the loud _crank,_ but the agonizing pain that told Preston that his nose was broken. F _ucking asshole._

"No need to resist," The boy said, and quickly removed the bow from Preston's hands, throwing it away to corner. "You took my backpack, and I really really didn't want to do this, but I have to." _Like hell you will._

The day that he went down without a fight, would be the day that Preston Hewitt was no longer himself. On the ground, he kicked up, his foot meeting the boy's crotch. Blaine howled in pain, bending his back, hands over his crotch. Preston got up, and sent his fist flying into Blaine's stomach, over and over again. Blaine grabbed him by the jacket, and quickly threw him down again, bringing his axe down.

Preston only had time to grab his bow, and block the hit. _Thank God it's not made of wood, or I would be dead already._ Blaine brought his axe down again, but Preston rolled to the side, avoiding the hit, all over again.

 _If he could only get to his quiver... Then he could use an arrow and end the bastard right there._

But a second later, it was all over. The blade of a sword appeared, poking out of Blaine Parker's ribs. The boy fell to his knees, gasped in pain, but before he could do anything else, the blade went through his skull, putting an end to his life. The blood fell down on Preston like warm, thick rain and he only had the time to cover his face, before Blaine's corpse fell on top of him.

It was only when he was saw Ryella; standing over Blaine's body, a bloody sword on her hand, that Preston allowed himself to breath a sigh of relief. "I had him, you know." Ryella merely arched an eyebrow, and offered him an hand. He was about to grab it, and get up, when Ryella punched him straight in the face, and straight on his broken nose.

"W-what was that for?" Preston moaned in pain, but Ryella only shrugged. "For being an asshole, maybe? Oh, and for almost getting yourself killed. And for being an ungrateful little bastard too, I suppose."

"You're a bitch, but God, an hot one." Ryella only shrugged, picking up the District Three backpack and motioning for him to follow her. Preston quickly got up, and with an arrow notched on his bow, follow Ryella, while protecting both of their backs.

"Oh, hi!" Leila greets him once he reaches them again, a warm smile on her face, like always. "You okay, Preston? Your face..." Ryella sighed, handing the District Three backpack to Leila. "Asshole got himself in a fight over that. The boy nearly killed him, but I got him first."

"Let's go, then." Sedna said, and the fouur of them took of running. Maybe; if Preston wasn't as tired as he was, with the throbbing pain on his head getting worse with every move he made, he could have noticed.

The whistle of a spear flying through the air, right out of Tiena Pensiere's hand, and lodging itself on Sedna's back. Sedna fell to her knees, the spear still lodged in her back, a soft cry being the last thing that comes out of her mouth before she drops entirely to the ground.

Leila gasped, falling to her knees, right after her friend, sobbing. "Sed-Sedna, w-what.. N-no, s-she can't b-e d-ded, n-no." She pulled Sedna's body to her arms; Leila's tears falling into Sedna's face, one after the other. It seemed like an eternity when Leila raised her head, bloodshot eyes and messy hair, but a strangely determined look on her face.

"She killed Sedna... I'M GOING TO KILL HER!" Leila started to get up, but Preston quickly grabbed her arm, but only getting an elbow to the face in return. "She was my friend." Preston tried to grab her, but Leila was fighting too much. Sedna was his ally too, and Ryella's. Weren't they supposed to mourn her too? Yes, they were. But not there, when all three of them could get killed at any moment.

Considering how loud Leila was screaming, Preston wouldn't be suprised if all three of them were dead soon enough. Ryella quickly stepped in, slapping Leila right across the face, shutting her up. "Listen, do you want to live or not? We have to go." Ryella's eyes met Preston's, and soon, he knew. He threw Leila over his shoulder, and motioned for Ryella to follow him. She ripped the spear out of Sedna's back, gathered their backpack and joined them.

* * *

 **Oliver Craddocks; 16 years old.**  
 **District Nine Male.**

* * *

Without anything but the torches to guide him, Oliver made his way to the Cornucopia, making sure that he didn't come face to face with anyone that he couldn't face.

He was good, better than most of them, and Oliver was aware of that. But he also had a brain, and if the Careers came down on him, he was as good as dead. Until he had a weapon, or something that he could defend himself with, it was better to stay out of everyone's way.

When he got his hands on a weapon, the real Hunger Games would finally begin. Oliver passed a corpse, that he quickly recognized as the girl from Seven and tried to continue his way, but there was something about it that didn't allow him to look away. She had fallen on her back, and the wound suggested that she had been attacked with probably a spear, or sword. The Career's work, that was for sure.

Four bodies were already down, and the Games didn't even have one hour to them.

Forcing himself to look away, and make his way back to the Cornucopia, Oliver couldn't help it but notice his surrondings. Some tributes had already left through one of the tunnels, the one behind the Cornucopia, and some still fought and struggled to get their respective backpacks, or at least something to fight with.

There were two tunnels, Oliver noticed, one leading up and the other one leading down. The walls of the cave that they were currently in, however, were another story. Filled with bones and skeletons, all the way to the tunnels, made him shiver while wondering whatever was down those tunnels.

It was supposed to remind them of what they were really there to do, Oliver realized. The skeletons, that's what all twenty-three of them would be, if they weren't careful enough.

Twenty-four torches gave light to the room, and whenever someone died, one of the lights disappeared completely. Exactly like the lifes of the tributes. Disappearing completely into oblivion, forgotten by everyone but those that ever had any sort of feelings for them.

Oliver would do anything to stop that from happening with himself. After so many years of struggle to get to the very top, he wouldn't let that happen. He had worked for everything he had gained, and if he was the best of the best, he trly did deserve it. Unlike all of them, Oliver worked.

And if after so many years of working and struggling, all he would get in return was oblivion, what was the point?

He wasn't scared of facing the dark, since it would make it him even better, but Oliver was human. He had to admit that wondering whatever was in those tunnels made him... nervous, to say at least.

 _Focus. It's time to kill._

Only a few backpack were already gone from the Cornucopia, but it was clear that fighting had already happened in there. The boy from Eight, lying down on a pool of his own blood, was the first death. Oliver had watched when the girl from Two fought with her district partner, and when he escaped, she sank the knife deep down into the boy's back. Oliver could bet that it was pretty quick, without suffering that much.

Painless and quick.

That's how Oliver wanted it to end for himself, if it ever came down to it. Because... being there, looking at those corpses that used to be living boys and girls, Oliver had realized that it was a possibiity.

He could die. At any moment, someone could come out of nowhere, and end his life. And then, everything that he had worked for, everything that he had struggled to get, would be gone.

His mothers wouldn't have a son anymore.

Oliver Craddocks would cease to exist.

"Coulter!" The boy from Ten caught up with him quickly, a bright smile on his face. For once, Oliver had to admit that he was truly happy to see him. It was nice to see a familiar face in a sea of unknown, and to see someone that wouldn't ever try to hurt him. _That's why you picked him. Insecure, emotional, and the perfect meat-shield._

"Oliver, I-I didn't manage to get to m-my backpack. Leila got to it first, but she and her a-allies are n-not in here anymore. But I got this!" Coulter waved the knife in front of Oliver's face, smiling widely. Yes, he really did think of Oliver as a friend. As a real friend, one that would never betray him.

 _I'm sorry, kid, but it's the Hunger Games. Only one can win._

Later, Coulter would have to die. Either at Oliver's hands, or at someone else's, he would have to die. And to make sure that he would break down once the boy died, Oliver had to push away any thoughts of friendship.

Maybe they could have been real friends, but they couldn't, not in there.

"Perfect!" Oliver replied, thinking of the second part of his plan. "Coulter, listen, I need you to do as I say. Go away from the bloodbath, and wait for me near the entrance of one of the tunnels. I'll get there soon, there's just something I need to do first."

Coulter nodded, but hesitated for a second. "W-what about Hex? Shouldn't we try and find him?" Oliver had to stop himself from cringing. It was no secret that he didn't have much sympathy for the younger member of their alliance, or any desire to have him in there. Hex wasn't necessary to his plan, he was just someone that Oliver would have to get rid off, soon enough.

Maybe he was already dead.

"I'm sure he'll find us soon enough. Go! I'll meet you right there when I'm done." Oliver started to turn away, but Coulter stopped him.

"Please be careful, Oliver. I-I wouldn't know what to do if something happened to you." Oliver gave him a small smile, but he couldn't help it but wonder if that boy truly did care about him.

Even if he tried to push that feeling away, with every strenght that he had left, Oliver felt sympathy for Coulter. He didn't want to kill him, not really. But for someone that put himself first, for sixteen years, he couldn't start to care about other people now.

Not in the Hunger Games, where his life was in danger. When he saw it, a bright smile found its way to Oliver's face. The bright red backpack, with an even bigger _9_ printed in it. No matter what happened, that backpack was his. It was only when Oliver saw bright red hair in front of him, that he knew what was about to happen.

 _It's her or the backpack, Oliver. Choose._

Niamh, with a determined look on her face, picked up the backpack and threw it over her shoulder, preparing to leave. She didn't... she didn't look at him. If she didn't stop to think that he could need that backpack too, why should he have any mercy? "Niamh."

She turned around, suprised. "Oliver, I... I didn't see you in there. I'm sorry, I thought that you had already left or that you were..."

Oliver finished it for her. "Dead. You thought that I was dead." He needed that backpack, for himself and Coulter. But if he wanted to have that backpack, Niamh would have to die.

She was a nice girl. If they had never been reaped, maybe they could have been friends. But like with Coulter, Oliver couldn't allow himself to have any type of mercy. It was what it was, and if he wanted to live and go back to his mothers, he had to kill.

 _Starting right now._

"I'm going to need that backpack, Niamh."

Her eyes met his, and in that second, Niam realized what he was about to do. "W-we can split it. P-please, Oliver, please.." Tears started stream down her cheeks, and Oliver almost considered letting her live. But Niamh was also that girl who got a training score of 7, and the girl that everyone loved. He couldn't let her live.

Burying his humanity deep down, where it couldn't come back to bother him, Oliver raised the knife. Niamh threw the backpack at him, probably in hopes that he would spare her, and tried to run.

If he let her go, what kind of person would he be?

 _Human._ Weak. Someone that wasn't willing to do what was necessary.

Niam tried to run, but Oliver was too fast, and also had a weapon. He grabbed her arm, twisting with every last bit of strenght that he had, until Niamh screamed. She threw a punch in his direction, but Oliver was too quick and too strong. He pulled her to the ground, holding her arms down, and without thinking, Oliver drove the blade into her temple.

She didn't scream.

It was the least that he could do: make her death quick. She didn't deserve to die a painful death, not really. Oliver couldn't bring himself to bring out the knife. He had done that without thinking, but right there, the consequences of his acts would start to appear.

He killed. And if there was anything that Oliver Craddocks was certain about, was that there was no going back from killing.

That was when he noticed a stunned Hex Fillian standing there, backpack in one hand, and weapon in the other.

* * *

 **Amina Conlan; 17 years old.**  
 **District Eleven Female.**

* * *

They were running.

Amina ran as fast as her legs could take her, and once in a while, she looked back to see if Bastian was catching up with her.

They hadn't said one word to each other since the bloodbath, but Amina appreciated it. It was good, for once, that Bastian finally realized that it was his time to shut up. That it wasn't the time to whine about how much he hated the Careers, when said Careers could appear at any time and end both of them.

Four were dead, Amina realized. All of them had seen the girl from Two end the boy from Eight, and when she and Bastian had left the Cornucopia, four more bodies were already down.

 _Get used to it. If you wanna live, you have to understand that death will be pretty common._

She just didn't want to die. Not yet, anyway. There was still much that Amina wanted, so much to do and say back home to the people that she loved. No, she couldn't die without marrying the love of her live. She couldn't die without proving to her mother and father that she and Gerrit belonged together, no matter what anyone said.

Hell, was making it to her eighteen birthday too much to ask?

With her knife held tight in her hands, and back in her shoulders, Amina turned to Bastian. She opened up her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. After all, what was the best thing that she could say?

" _Hey, I'm glad we're not dead. But one of us will have to die soon enough if the other will make it home."_

All of her life, Amina had played by the rules. She had done what everyone asked of her, and she had been a good girl, without only exception and that had been falling in love. But there, what did it mean playing by the rules?

It meant that she had to kill, and lose her humanity. Amina wasn't sure that she could deal with that. Not yet, anyway.

One step a time, she reminded herself. That was the only that she would be able to get through it; one step at a time. "Bastian?" She asked.

"Yes?" Came his reply, barely more than a whisper.

"Where are we going?" Amina inquired, her knife in her hand. If anything happened, then she would be ready to strike back. _Would you kill him, though?_ Amina imaginated slitting Bastian's throat in the middle of the night, where he couldn't defend himself.

Amina didn't know the answer to that. Maybe, if it ever came down to the two of them. But not there, not now. Bastian was from home, and killing him meant taking away her family's chances of getting good food, even if she died.

She couldn't do it to them. Not risk their only chance of getting food for one entire year, just because she murdered her own ally. She couldn't.

But if he attacked her... well, that was another story.

"Getting as far as we can from the others, I suppose." Bastian replied, but Amina found herself paying more attention to her ally than to the arena. It was weird, in a really bad way. To her left, there was a cave. Not too big, but still good enough to be a shelter. It was only after close observation that Amina noticed that it wasn't just a cave.

A grave. On the ground, there was a tumb, but it wasn't any normal one. The upper side wasn't covered, so they could see the body, rooting in the ground, close to becoming a skeleton.

Amina leaned in closer, and in there, she could see the graveyard.

 _Felicia Daraken, Capitol Citzen. Beloved Daughter, Friend, and Mother. You will be missed._

H-How could they do that? Well, it was one thing to host the Hunger Games, and it was already bad in its own way. But did actually bring bodies to the arena? Bodies of people that had family, friends, and hopes for the future. _They're just mutts, Amina, time to turn back._

They continued to walk down the tunnel, which seemed to lead to the lowest part of the arena. It seemed like hours, days maybe, until Amina heard it. The faint sound of footsteps going down the same tunnel that they had, but it seemed to be more than one.

Amina only had the time to exchange one last look with Bastian, when they appeared down the tunnel. The girl from Five, armed to her teeth; with a sickle and a belt of knives. The girls from Eight and Three came right behind her, both caring backpacks and knives.

"Evening, District Eleven." The older girl greeted, and stepped down the entrance of the cave, getting closer and closer to where Bastian and Amina stood.

"We don't want any fights. Give me your backpack and supplies, and we'll let you walk away. Simple as that."

"And why on earth would I give my supplies to a little white bitch?" _Oh shit._ Bastian raised his axe, bravely steeping foward. Everything in Amina's head screamed at her, telling her to get away from that, to get to somewhere save, to survive, but her feet didn't move.

All it took was one last look between Bastian and Amina, and she knew what he wanted to do. Bastain swang his axe, but the girl from Five was already prepared, meeting his axe with her sickle. The metal clanged in the air, and blow after blow, the two of them kept going.

Amina just stood there, and so did the other girls. The girl from Eight took a step foward, knife out, but the other girl raised a hand to stop her. _Not yet._

Bastian fought well, Amina realized. He was moved by his anger, just like he had been in the Capitol, but now it was a good thing. His anger was everything that kept him moving, and when it ended, so would his life.

When Bastian swang his axe in the right angle, and managed to hit the girl on her leg, Amina thought that the fight was won. The girl sent her fist flying into Bastian's crotch, and he cursed, arching his back for a second, trying to deal with the pain.

It was happened in one split second. Bastian arched his back, and with a swift flick of the wrist, the girl slit Bastian's throat, the blood cloathing her clothes bright red.

He wasn't dead yet, though.

Bastian fell to the ground; clutching his throat, desperately trying to stop the bleeding, and doing anything to save his own life. When Bastian's eyes met Amina's, and she could see how desperate he was. For once, she cared about her district partner, but it was already too late. He was already gone. In that moment, Amina felt the tears blurring her vision. A second later, Bastian's hands fell helplessly to the side, and his gargling came to an end. His body gave one last twitch, and by then, Bastian was dead.

 **Boom!**

In the seconds that followed, Amina's mind made the decision for her. With tear blurring her vision, and her heart falling with abyss, Amina picked up Bastian's weapon and ran, as fast as her legs could take her. She could have stayed, she could have helped him.

He could be alive, if Amina had been brave enough, and had fought by her District Partner's side, like everyone expected her to.

She repeated to herself that it wasn't her fault, that she did what she had to survive, until she reached a little cave, far away from Bastian's murderer and her allies, and vomiting burning at the back of her throat.

Amina threw up, vomiting burning her throat, but she couldn't stop the tears from falling, either. He was her ally, and maybe even her friend, and now he was gone.

What had once been a living and breathing boy, with hopes and dreams for himself, was gone. All because of her. A piece of her home, a piece of District Eleven, was gone because she couldn't move a finger to help him.

Her ally, her friend, her district partner.

Gone, because she couldn't find her courage and fight, even if it meant she would die by her ally's side.

She was a coward, and the Games were only on the first day, and there was already someone dead because of her. But it was then, that Amina realized that she had survived. She had put her life ahead of Bastian's, and because of that, he was dead and she was still there, a living and breathing girl, with a chance of going home.

She had really started to play by the rules of the Hunger Games, and she hadn't realized it yet.

 _Let the Hunger Games begin._

* * *

 **Jasko Quinn; 18 years old.**  
 **District Four Male.** **  
**

* * *

"We could leave, you know."

Aidan's voice was merely a whisper, but it was enough for Jasko to hear. It was enough for the words to ring in his mind, all over again, messing up every plan that he had before the Games. Right now, he was forced to do something that he didnn't agree with. The best soldiers need to follow orders that they don't always agree with, his father had told him once, when he was nothing but a little boy, without any idea of what the world truly was.

But he wasn't a soldier, not really. He was nothing but a boy, doing anything that he could to survive. It was hard, Jasko had realized. Seeing all those dead bodies, and knowing that they were someone once, it killed him inside. Those were people, just like him, with family and friends and dreams that they hoped to see come true one day.

And now, it was all over. All it took was a simple knife, and everything would be over. The light, the sound, the chaos would be replaced with darkness.

 _You're a Career. Remember why you are here._

"She would turn this place upside down until she found us, and murdered us in the most brutal way that someone like Sadie Ariste can think of." He replied, the torch in his hand being the only thing that allowed him to see Aidan, and of course, their prisoner.

It took a great deal of work, since the boy was quite hard to catch, but now it was done. Jasko and Aidan dragged Nikolai back to the Cornucopia, and more than likely, to his own death. Jasko had to give it to the boy, he was brave. All the way, he didn't say a word. If he was scared of dying, then he truly didn't show it.

He didn't want to kill the boy, or even deliver him to Sadie's wicked games. Jasko never had anything against the boy in the first place, but Sadie was their leader. Whatever she said, they had to do, unless they wanted to die. And currently, he and Aidan were outnumbered.

"Hey kid, what did you even do to Sadie, to make her hate you so much, in the first place?" Jasko asked, but he wasn't expecting an answer. Not really. If they switched positions, and Jasko was the prisioner instead of the Career, then he knew he wouldn't bother to answer, either.

"I stole the attention from her." Nikolai just shrugged. "And people like Sadie, they like having the spotlight all to themselves, I suppose."

Fight, Jasko wanted to tell him.

But in a way, he could understand. They were in the Hunger Games, after all. Only one could live, and after fighting with the two of them, Jasko could understand why the boy had given up. He and Aidan had beaten him up pretty well, also.

And the arena, well, it wasn't that appealing either. From what Jasko could understand, the two tunnels were different. The one that he and Aidan had fought Nikolai in lead up, and the other one lead down. However, Jasko was sure that they weren't that different, in the first place. Bones, skeletons, and death. It was all around the place, making it way more creepy than what it already was.

The tunnel gave them a little bit more of light; but if it was some kind of metaphor, with one of them leading to darkness and the other one leading to light, then Jasko didn't want to think what the other tunnel would lead to.

Inside the cave, however, the tension was much worse. Tiena and Sadie had placed all six bodies in a pile, next to the entrance to the dark tunnel, while Alexa was going through the Cornucopia and the remain backpacks, to look for supplies.

When Sadie saw them, Nikolai's hands tied with rope, she smiled with all the delight of a kid on Christmas morning. "Well, well, it seems that I was wrong about the two of you, after all. Wonderful job."

It was when her eyes focused on Nikolai, though, that Jasko truly saw who she was. Someone vile, someone that truly did enjoy the Game that they were being forced to play.

That was who Sadie was. Evil, merciless, but prepared. And that was who Jasko had to be, if he ever wanted to make it back home.

"You." She hissed, her eyes never leaving Nikolai's.

"Me." He mocked, and Jasko had to hold back what sounded like a cry and a laugh at the same time. The boy had guts, Jasko had to admit it.

For a split second, Sadie raised her rapier and Jasko stepped back, not really wanting to watch it. He didn't knew the boy, and he didn't really care about him but in a way, Jasko didn't want him to die. Not at the hands of an evil bitch from District Two, but in a fight where he could actually go down bravely.

Sadie wouldn't give him that chance, though. But then, after considering something, Sadie placed her rapier back on her belt and nodded to all five of them. "So, who did we get rid of?"

"Boy from Five," Alexa claimed, but Jasko noticed that her eyes didn't meet Sadie's. Maybe, he and Aidan weren't the only ones having doubts about that alliance. "The boy from Three, and the girl from Nine are here."

"The District Seven girl." Tiena replied."

"I got the District Eight boy. Let me see if I'm getting this straight," Sadie started, raising her tone. "Six tributes died here, and only three of them died by our hands. Someone wants to explain to me why are tied with the outliers for kills?"

Silence. All four Careers, for the first time, didn't have an answer.

When the silence was getting too long, Sadie sighed. "Lainell, kill him." Next to him, Aidan seemed to be made of ice, not moving a muscle. "Why me?"

Sadie shrugged. "You're a Career, aren't you? All three of us got kills. You and Quinn were the only ones that didn't get a kill, and frankly, I don't even bother with him anymore. So, go ahead and kill him. All yours."

"You told him to bring him to you, not to kill him."

Sadie nodded. "Yes, I did. And now that he's here, I want him dead."

"Do it yourself." It was nothing more than a whisper, but it was was enough. Sadie actually looked stunned. "Excuse me?"

 _Holy shit._

"I said do it yourself. I'm not killing someone just because you have a grudge on them. If you want him dead that badly, and you have a weapon, do it yourself. You have two arms and two legs, so I suppose you don't need anyone's help to kill."

He had to do this, Jasko realized. That boy in front of him would have to die, if the Career alliance was to stand together for a little longer. If he didn't, Aidan and Sadie would fight, and it would all go to hell.

He couldn't let that happen. _Not now._ Even if he didn't want to admit it, he needed them, and even more when the arena was such a dark place.

"Kill him, or die. It's your choice."

Jasko's spear went through Nikolai's chest, with one quick move of his hand. With a stunned, painful cry, Nikolai's body went down, like a doll whose strings had just been cut. Jasko pulled the spear out when he hit the ground, the blood turning his hands bright red.

With that, Nikolai Faustus was gone. It was only the boom of the cannon that brought him back to his thoughts.

When he noticed four pairs of eyes staring at him, Jasko just shrugged. "He died. What matters who is the one to kill him? It's done now."

For the first since they had known each other, Sadie smiled at him, truly smiled. "Welcome to the Careers, Quinn."

* * *

 ** _Fabian Tanaka, District Eight._**

 ** _Kaneki Idris, District Five._**

 ** _Blaine Parker, District Three._**

 ** _Sedna Orwell, District Seven._**

 ** _Niamh Gregora, District Nine._**

 ** _Bastian Steppes, District Eleven._**

 ** _Nikolai Faustus, District Two._**

* * *

 **Elim, I won't lie to you, Fabian was a bit hard to write for me. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get a proper grip on his personality, but I enjoyed having him around while it lasted. He was a good boy, and he didn't really want to hurt anyone, so that's why he would have never made it that far in the Games. I wanted to have him around a little longer, but sadly, I didn't have any place for him in the plot. I apologize for that.**

 **Min, Kaneki was hard to write in his first POV, and easier in the second one. His autovampirism was a road that I had never taken before as a writer, and while it was interesting, I couldn't keep him around for much longer. He didn't believe in himself, and he thought that he was weak, but hey, at least he died a good death. He managed to fight back in the end, and become a little bit better than what he was back in District Five. I'm proud of him for that! ;_;**

 **Liquidation, I enjoyed Blaine and what he stood for. He saw the world for what it truly was, and for that I adored him. He refused to change, just because the Capitol wanted him to, and he got his wish. He died as Blaine Parker, not as a pawn of the Capitol. However, when I decided that Fabian and Nikolai would also be dying here, I didn't have anywhere else to take him and for that, I'm sorry.**

 **Alice, Sedna ;_; Okay, I absolutely adored Sedna. I loved writing her first POV, and her journey in the Capitol, to the friendship that she ended up creating with Leila. She was who she was, and to hell with anyone that thought it was a bad thing. She fought, but in the end, she didn't really have a chance while facing a Career with a training score of ten. Sadly, I didn't have anywhere else to take her. Loved her. Thank you so much!**

 **Technicolour, I swear, I didn't have Niamh in here until much, much later. She went extremely far in earlier plans that I had, but I needed someone to die by Oliver's hands, and sadly, I ended up picking Niam. I loved her, okay, i really did. She was a simple girl, honest, and only wanted to be with the girl that she truly loved. She followed her job to the end, protecting Toria, and it ended up in her death. Don't worry, she won't be forgotten. Not by me, not by Toria and not by her allies. Thank you for her!**

 **Jocelyn, Bastian was a joy to write for. Grumpy, realistic, and with a hate for the Careers, he was a lot of fun for me. From the love from his family, to his forced alliance with Amina and to his death, I loved him. I needed to have him die here, though, so Amina could devolop. Don't worry, he won't be forgotten. She'll miss him, and so will I. May he rest in peace.**

 **MidnightRaven, I think Nikolai was the character that I moved around the most, until the bloodbath. To be honest, his backstory was something that I had never seen before, and I enjoyed toying with it, while I could. His desire to prove that he was as good as the Careers, ugh, it was great. He went far in one of my first drafts, but then I ended up having him in here. He got caught up in the middle of Sadie's anger, Jasko's desire to keep the alliance together, and Aidan's desire to do the right thing. I'll miss him!**

* * *

 **A/N:** Andddd here we have the bloodbath!

To be honest, I wrote this chapter before the launch, because I was wayyy too excited to wait to write it. Was it sad? Yes, it was. But I'm excited that we're finally in the arena, and now, the real fun will begin.

(I couldn't resist updating this, I'm sorry, I promise I'll slow down after this... Maybe.)

This chapter had 10 POVs in the beggining, but hey, I decided that it was a bit too much, and only 6 would show everything that I had to show, in the bloodbath chapter. But if your tribute wasn't mentioned, in anyway, don't worry. They are alive, got away from the Careers, and they are safe. _For now, anyway._ ;)

Okay, so, the format. The 6 POV thing won't continue, no, I'll be going back to four POVs, starting with the next chapter. We'll see everyone, and some days might have a Part One and Two, but that's something for later. For now, enjoy this!

Sooo, the arena. The Catacombs, uhm? Imagine the ones under Paris, and you'll get a perfect imagine of our arena. The Games started in the main cave, which has the entrance to the two tunnels, and the Cornucopia. One of the tunnels leads up, where the tributes will find a little bit more of light... and other stuff. The other one, however, isn't as nice as that one that's where most of the real fun will begin, and where the tributes will find little ol' suprises. Hey, not saying that bad things can't happen in the other one... You'll see. I wanted to focus on the deaths in here, but I'll go back to describing the arena in the next chapter.

Welcome to the Empire of Death, where anything can happen. ;)

* * *

 **Questions:**

 _Any deaths that suprised you?_

 _Any suprise non-deaths?_

 _Who do you think will die next?_

 _Thoughts on the arena?_


	19. Calm Before The Storm

**Chapter Nineteen.**  
 **Day One.**

* * *

 **Ryella Duval; 18 years old.  
 **District Six Female.****

* * *

They had finally settled down.

Ryella was still doubtful about that place, about the arena in general, but a part of her was glad that they had found a place to settle down. Her legs ached from running, her back hurt from carrying three backpacks at the same time, and there was still a throbbing in her head, ever since they had left the bloodbath.

And also, the spear in her hand was also a reminder. A reminder of the boy whose life she had taken. One clean strike was all it took. The boy had fallen, and Preston was still there, alive and kicking.

It's not that she didn't want to do it. Ryella, unlike her allies, knew what it took. She knew that she would have to kill if she ever wanted to go home, and that people would have to die. Preston, Leila, the Careers, they would have to die if she was ever going to see District Six ahead of her again.

It was an awful place. She had suffered, struggled and fought, but it was still her _home._ The place where the people that ever had any hold on her heart were, and the place that had made her who she was. She had gone throught hell and back, but it also made her stronger. It had made her who she was, and had taught her to not rely on anyone but herself.

So why had she let him live? She could have easily let Preston die, and then killed the boy right after. One clean strike, and another ally would be out of the way, and Ryella would be one step closer to winning. _He's your ally,_ She told herself. _That's why you let him live._

If it ever came down to a fight between her and the Careers, it would come in handy to have two of them by her side. Two allies, but also two people that she would have to get rid off, when the time came. So... so why did it felt like they were more than that?

Ryella shaked her head, pushing the thought to the back of her mind, where it could never bother her again. They were only her allies, people that trusted her, and people that would have her back in a fight. She didn't have friends. She only had herself, and the people that depended on her. Nothing but that.

Leila's sobs had finally, _finally_ come to an end. She was leaning against the wall of their cave, eyes closed. If Ryella didn't know better, if she hadn't learned to see people behind their masks, she could have said that Leila was finally sleeping. But behind the mask, behind the pain of losing Sedna, all that was left was the desire to avenge Sedna.

A desire that could get all three of them killed, before their times.

She had to do something. If she didn't do something, then Leila would lead the Careers to them, and it would all end in blood and gore. They couldn't... not yet, anyway. Preston, however, was already sleeping. Leaning against one of the supultures, in the wall oposite to Leila's, he had passed out long ago, with the bow still on his hand. This place... Ryella wasn't too sure about it. At least 6 corpses were buried bellow them, and knowing the Gamemakers, they could soon turn into mutts and murder all of three of them in their sleep.

But for now, it was far away from the Cornucopia, and a good place to hide.

Leaving her to the hardest job. Ryella didn't want to. She never knew her way around people, only when she really had to, and she never really had any friends. But right now, her fate depended on her next action. If she could deal with Leila in a way that didn't involve killing, then they could last longer.

If she didn't, this place would swallow all three of them alive.

Taking a deep breath, Ryella got up from her watch spot, and walked over to Leila. The spear never left her hand, though. She felt safer that way, even if her falchion was by her hip, and she had a few knives hidden in different spots, just in case.

In that place, it could never hurt to be careful.

Leila didn't move a muscle when Ryella sat next to her, and didn't even open her eyes, but Ryella could swear that a small sigh left her lips. "Hey," Ryella said, taking a deep breath, and starting to choose her words very carefully. She didn't want to do that. It had no interest for her, but in the end, it did. If Leila went after that girl from Four, she would be dead in a second, and lead them to herself and Preston.

She had killed, and she had fought, so surely she could try to comfort a seventeen year old girl from District Ten, who had just lost her ally. But that was the problem. Ryella didn't mourn Sedna because, how could she? They had only spoken with each other a few times, and she was nothing to Ryella. Just another person in the way of her Victory, that had to die since the beggining.

Leila, however, saw Sedna as a friend. Ryella supposed that it must hurt, losing a friend. Losing someone that was always there for you, that had your back and suddenly, they are not there anymore. Just another forgotten face, lost for good.

In a way, Ryella could understand. "Don't worry, I'm not going after her. Not yet, anyway." The words left Leila's lips, but she remained still, her eyes closed. That was the only thing that was angering Ryella the most. Leila, her ally who seemed to be filled with such a will to live, was nothing but the shadow of the girl she used to be. Just... just because she cared.

There were times like this that Ryella was almost glad that she was herself. Without caring, without looking at people like nothing but something in her way to make it home, she would never become like that.

 _Think without your head, and not with your heart,_ her father had always told her, even when she was nothing more than a scrawny little girl.

She didn't mean it, Ryella realized. She didn't know Sedna or Leila or even Preston that well, but there was one thing that she was sure about. Leila had cared about Sedna, as an ally or maybe even more than a friend and even if she swore that she wouldn't go after the girl, grief wouldn't let her rest until that girl from District Four appeared on the sky.

Ryella couldn't let that happen. Not now, when they had to be united, if they wanted to make it through another day. And for that, she had to give Leila exactly what she wanted. "I... I was going to say that I'm sorry about Sedna. I know the two of you were close."

When Leila's eyes snapped open, and found Ryella's, the older girl couldn't hold her gaze for too long. This girl... Leila was still mourning Sedna, and Ryella had ripped the spear out of the girl's back, without even flinching for a second.

She wanted to tell herself that it was the right thing to do. That they had another weapon, and if she hadn't got it, it would be another thing that the Careers would have to use against them. And deep down, Ryella knew that she had done the right thing, in order for all three of them to survive a little longer. So why... why did it felt so _wrong?_

"Yeah, we were," Leila said. "Don't blame yourself, Ryella. You were only doing what was best for our alliance. You're a great leader, better than me or preston could ever be. It's not your fault." Leila covered Ryella's hand with hers, and for the first time in what seemed like forever, she smiled.

 _A leader._ Maybe Leila was right, after all. Maybe, that was exactly what Ryella would have to be, in order to make her alliance live a little longer. And being a good leader meant knowing which battles to fight.

"It wasn't fair, you know..." Leila continued, but at that time, Ryella realized that she was probably talking to herself. "I kept thinking of how I could have helped her, that we could have finished that Career together, but... We couldn't. All three of us would have died."

"No... we couldn't. We did the smart thing, Leila. We ran from there, and we got to the safety, and we're alive. We're here, alive and breathing, and that was what Sedna would have wanted. You knew her better than anyone."

"She loved her home," Leila said. "She loved her friends, and even if her family didn't get along very well, she still loved them. How is this fair, Ryella? How are they dead, and the Careers still breath?" It was only by then that Ryella realized that Leila's eyes will filled with teats. Again. "What kind of people are we if we don't avenge those that die? We can't help them live, but we can avenge them."

Smart ones, Ryella wanted to say, but thewords didn't leave her mouth. Leila was right, she realized. They couldn't save them, but they could avenge them.

She could do it. For herself, and also... for them. For Preston, for Leila and even for Sedna, because all of them deserved more than they got. All of them deserved to die in their own terms, knowing who or what killed them and not die at the hands of a coward.

It would just be another mask. Another one that she'd have to put on, not only in order to protect herself, but also her allies. Behind that, the real Ryella would always be there. She didn't hate them... Not really, anyway. Why would she hate children, that were put in the exact same situation that she was in?

None of them had choosed to be in there. And yet, all of them would have to fight with everything they had, if they ever wanted to see a glimpse of home again.

She wasn't afraid to kill them. They were her allies, but if it came down to the choice between herself and them, Ryella would always choose herself. Maybe... if things were different... But they weren't, and Ryella refused to die. Not in there, not at the hands of some Career, or even at the hands of her allies.

 _Not today._

"We'll find them," Ryella said, and this time, she didn't push away Leila's hand, which was convering hers. "When the time is right, and they're weak, we'll strike and we'll end the Careers, once and for all. For... for Sedna."

Ryella wasn't sure of what she expected to get with that. Maybe a reaction from Leila, or maybe even something that could bring Leila's will to survive to surfice again. She had it, Preston had it, and Leila used to to have it. If it were up to Ryella, Leila would get it back, soon enough.

"Thank you," Leila smiled at her, and Ryella found herself smiling back. Maybe, if they were careful enough, this plan could actually work. They would get the Careers out of the equation, and then, it would be a fair fight between the people that never asked to be in there.

But first, they needed to be strong enough to fight. Laying the spear on the ground next to her, Ryella picked up the District Three backpack, the one that belonged to the boy that she had _killed,_ took out the water bottle and some kind of energy bar, and handed it to Leila. "Here. You haven't ate since we left the bloodbath and if anyone comes here, we need to be strong to fight."

Leila happily nodded, and devored the energy bar within five minutes, taking some sips of water with it. When she was done, Ryella kicked Preston to wake him up, and forced him to eat and soon enough, she was eating too.

They wouldn't strike, not yet. But the next person that they found, the next one that decided to go against them, would die. It was time to finally start playing the Game, but this time, they would play by their own rules.

* * *

 **Hex Fillian; 13 years old.  
 **District Seven Male.****

* * *

He was running.

When Oliver had killed that girl, his own district partner without a single drop of mercy, Hex ran. If Oliver could kill, who said that he wouldn't kill him right after? For a second, he forgot about Coulter and about his safety, and he ran. With his heart pounding on his chest, and sweat dropping down his forehead, Hex ran until he felt like he was about to pass out from exhaustion.

It was only when he found a small place to settle down, in the top of a stairwell, that Hex finally realized everything that had happened since they were launched into the arena. Only this morning, he had been so willing to fight, refusing to die just like everyone expected him too. He still couldn't believe it, that a small boy from District Seven who everyone predicted as a bloodbath, had made it out alive.

The worst was gone now. If he had made it out of the bloodbath, who said that he couldn't last a long time? Maybe... maybe if he stayed out f harm's way, he could even get to see District Seven again.

 _Mom, Dad, Wyla._

He couldn't help it _but_ smile. Sitting down on the top of the stairwell, Hex opened the backpack to see if he was lucky enough to get some food, when he realized the truth. Sedna was dead. His district partner, the one that everyone belived would make it far, was dead.

This morning, he had been so sure that he would fight, for his family and also for himself. But right now, he felt like the weight of the world had just fell upon his shoulders. It wasn't only his family and his own life that depended on his actions, no, the whole of District Seven depended on him.

On the back of his mind, Hex pictured all of the starving children, all of those that would do do anything for a little bit food. Wyla's family, with three young children, all of the always wanting for things that they could not have.

All of them depended on him. Hex Fillian, a thirteen year old boy, had just become District Seven's last hope. It wasn't an option anymore; to kill or die, to fight or run. It was his only shot, and District Seven's only shot as well.

He believed. He might not be the strongest, or even anything close to that, but he _believed._ If he held on to that, maybe, it could be enough. Drinking sip after sip of his small water bottle, Hex allowed himself to relax, even if it was only for a moment. The last time he had seen a tribute was at the bloodbath, when Oliver had stricked down his district partner for the backpack.

In a way, he could understand. Wasn't he so determined to live this morning, that he had promised himself that he would do anything? But killing... Killing took it way too far. Killing meant playing the Games, but at the same time, having a bigger chance of going home.

Killing meant seeing District Seven again, and hearing the happy cheers of his people, when they finally got the food that they deserved. Even if it was only for one year, it was worth it.

They deserved it.

That was when he heard footsteps, and a male voice following right after. "We need to put as much as distance between us and them when we still can, Am'." Panic made Hex freeze on the place, and for a second, he forgot how to breath.

 _Shit, shit, shit._

If they found him, he was lost. Maybe, he could have a chance fighting against any other tributes, but that could only happen if they were alone. Against an whole alliance... he was as good as dead. Tears started to blur his vision, and right there, Hex wanted to scream. He wanted to cry, and scream, and do anything but _die._

He never really stood a chance. Realization hit him, and Hex sank deeper into his misery. He never had a chance, not really. He was just fooling himself to believe that in some way, a thirteen year old boy could win the Hunger Games.

And now, he was going to die.

The District Twelve pair appeared at the bottom of the stairs, the boy armed with a manchete, and the girl with a belt of knives. Hex stood up, knife in hand. If he was going to die, he was going to die on his two feet, not as a coward.

It was the only thing that he could give his family. The only thing that he could do for them to remember that Hex Fillian, in the end, died bravely, and not as some coward.

"Hello," The boy from Twelve said, manchete in hand. "I'm Tyson and this is-"

"I don't care who you are." Hex said, even suprised at himself at how steady his voice was. _Mom, dad, I'm so sorry. Please remember me._ "If you're to fight, then let's get to it."

The boy looked suprised. "Fight? No, we... we just wanted a place to rest, but if this is yours, we'll go find somewhere else. It's okay, anyway. We're not here to fight." He nodded, and was about to leave, when the girl grabbed his arm.

"Tyson, if we don't kill him-"

"We're not killing anyone, Amaryllis. We already lost Niamh today, well, isn't that enough for you? Enough with giving them what they want. Look at him, Amy, c'mon," Hex did his best to look strong, even puffing out his chest, but he know that they show what he truly was. A thirteen year old, how was so sure that they were to kill him. "Do you honestly think he would kill us?"

"He's with the boys from Ten and Nine," She noted, refusing to back down. "What if this is all a trap? They left him here, and now, he's going to lead us to them _and_ to our deaths. Tyson, think this through. Please."

The boy looked at Hex, and then at the girl, and then back to Hex. _They already lost an ally._ Maybe... maybe if he convenced the boy to let him join them, he could have a new alliance. One that he was pretty sure wouldn't stab him in the back while he slept.

Almost, as if he had read Hex's mind, the boy smiled. "Would you like to stay with us? I mean, until you find your alliance, we could use some extra help. You've got supplies, we've got weapons, and we can also offer you more protection than you would have if you were all by yourself. What do you say?"

"Yes."

Tyson grinned at him, and motioned for the girl to follow. They quickly climbed up the stairs, and soon enough, were sitting next to Hex. "I'm Tyson and this is Amaryllis. From Twelve."

"I'm Hex. From Seven."

"Your district partner... She's dead, isn't she?" Hex nodded. "I'm sorry about that. It must be hard to lose someone that came with you, from home. Our ally died too. Niamh, from Nine. She didn't deserve what happened to her."

"None of us do."

"You can rest, though. We're here, and we'll sleep in shifts. Any idea of what that is?" He pointed to the door behind him. It was still quite weird to Hex. He had ran down the entire tunnel, only to lead up to this stairwell, with the mysterious door or cave or whatever that was locked behind them.

This place was weird. "No. It's locked, though, it's the only thing I know." Tyson quickly brushed it aside, letting himself fall to the floor, next to Amaryllis, who had already devored one of the crackers that Hex had offered them. He kept a few energy bars and knife on his back pockets, just in case.

It could never hurt to be too careful around that place.

It was only later, with Tyson and Amaryllis sharing a sleeping bag and Hex on his own, that he realized the truth. People would never really look at him, even if he had just survived the Bloodbath, when there were people that were willing to play the Game.

People that were willing to kill, if it meant that they would back home. Until he decided that that's what he wanted to do, that he was willing to do _anything_ to go back home, Hex knew that he wouldn't be getting many parachutes.

Taking one last look at his newest allies, curled up in the sleeping bad, he muttered a small apology.

To go home, he had to be willing to play the Games.

And so he would.

* * *

 **Brooke Devoir; 16 years old.  
 **District Eight Female.****

* * *

She didn't know how to feel.

In a way, Brooke was glad that it was over. _For now,_ _anyway._ They had left the bloodbath without making any kills, but with supplies, and without losing any member. And then, they had found the pair from Eleven. Brooke wasn't sure if it had been a mere coincidence, or if the Gamemakers had lead her alliance to them.

Katarina had killed the boy without blinking an eye, and they could have killed the girl, but Nerinea stopped her. Brooke hadn't stopped, she had her knife out, and she was ready to kill the girl.

In that moment, she didn't know herself. Adernalie had made her move, and if Nerinea hadn't stopped her, the girl from Eleven would be dead at her hand. But what would come next? Brooke didn't know. The only thing she knew was that she could have killed that girl, and it would be one less person out of her way back home.

Out of her way to take back what they had stolen from her. When she was finally building a life for herself, finally showing people that they were wrong to ever doubt that she could do it, the Capitol had reaped her. Forcing her to play a Game that she wanted to play in the first place, and throwing her back to where she was, before everything.

Katarina had killed. Her ally, the stronger and passionate girl that had come to her in training, had killed. Brooke watched her for a second, sorting out their supplies, keeping the same neutral look on her face that she had since they had arrived in the arena. The same neutral look that she had, when she slit the boy from Eleven's throat.

Brooke wondered if she could be like her. She respected Katarina, _liked_ her even. In a way, that was probably why she had accepted the request for an alliance in the first place. They were so alike, Brooke and Katarina, but only one of them had the guts to do what needed to be done.

Brooke had it. If Nerinea hadn't stopped her, if she had been able to sink her knife into that girl's throat, she could have done it. It was just survival, after all. Those that were willing to do anything to survive, got far and maybe even won. So why did it felt so damn wrong?

Brooke didn't want to care. She wanted to push it aside, to bury it in the deepest part of her mind, where it could never bother her again. But they were children, just like her, that they have nothing. Children that were raised to be pigs for the slaughter, and nothing more. They didn't deserve to die. But then again, neither did she.

In her sixteen years spent in District Eight, all that Brooke wanted was someone to tell her that she had done well. She struggled, she fought, and in the end all she wanted was for someone to tell her that they were proud of her. Sometimes, she wanted her mother. The woman that had never come to see her in the goodbyes, the woman who had never cared, but the woman that Brooke still loved as her mother.

In her alliance, she had found all of it. Katarina had shown her support, and maybe, the two of them could have been friends if they were somewhere else. So why... why did she felt so damn _alone?_

Suddenly, almost as if to break the silence, the Panem anthem started ringing around the cave. The seal soon appeared, on the ceiling of their cave, and the faces of the death followed.

Katarina smiled when the face of the boy from Two appeared, crooked smile and messy hair, and disappeared seconds later. When she noticed both Brooke and Nerinea looking at her, Kat just shrugged. "What? He might not have been a Career, but he was from Two. Another threat that's gone."

Nerinea's district partner followed him, and if Nerinea felt sad, then she didn't show it. There was something about her that made Brooke wanted to leave that alliance, as soon as she could. Nerinea was too creepy, and too detached.

Both of them made the perfect candidate for the Hunger Games.

The boy from Five soon replaced him, and Katarina could only frown at the face of her district partner. Brooke knew that they weren't close, and she also knew that her own district partner was dead, but to was supposed to be hard. It was hard to imagine everyone back home, hoping that she would come. Her own mother might be rooting for her, hoping that her own daughter would come home.

Hoping for another chance to make things right with her.

Somehow, the thought made her feel much better.

The girl from Seven was next. "She was with the others," Katarina realized. "The pair from Six and the girl from Ten. The only alliance that we really need to look out for."

Fabian's face was the next to appear. It was weird, at least, seeing his face up there. Someone that had been very much alive that morning, was now dead, on a train home. In a way, the thought appealed to Brooke. The thought of not having to fight anymore, and the thought of being in peace for the rest of her life, without having to worry about anything.

The thought could have appealed more to her, if she wasn't too attached to her own life.

 _Goodbye, Fabian._

The girl from Nine appeared, red hair and a bright smile. Brooke had seen that one happen. Her own district partner had killed her, and then had run away with the backpack. Someone that they needed to look out for.

The boy from Eleven was next. Brooke's eyes immediately flew to Katarina's face, looking for any sign of emotion, looking for any sign of _regret._

There was none. "I did what needed to be done," Katarina said, but Brooke wasn't sure if she was talking to herself or to Nerinea. "He wanted our supplies, so he died. Simple as that."

"It was the right thing to do." Brooke said, but the words didn't feel right. She knew that it wasn't _right,_ but what was right about the Hunger Games? Nothing, really. All there was were the people that were willing to kill to survive, and those who weren't. "They would have killed us, if you hadn't put him down."

 _We should have killed the girl,_ she wanted to say, but the words never left her mouth. "That's why we need to go after the girl," Katarina replied, almost as if she had read Brooke's mind. "If we don't, the Capitol will think that we're not capable of killing or that we haven't been doing anything interesting. We need to find her."

"It's too soon," Nerinea said. "If we go after her now, there's a chance we might run into another alliance, or even into the Careers."

Katarina's eyes found hers. "Brooke? What do you say?"

She knew that Nerinea was right, but so was Katarina. There was a chance that they could find someone else, but there was also a big chance that they would run into the girl. And if the Capitol knew what they planned to do, maybe they would give them a little help and lead them towards the girl.

"We have to do it. Killing the girls means supplies, sponsors, and maybe even a few days without being attacked by anything else. If killing her means a few more days of peace, then I say we do it."

Katarina nodded at her, and deep down, Brooke knew that she had made the right choice. If Nerinea decided to turn against them, then Katarina would have her back.

"It's decided, then. Tomorrow, we go after the District Eleven girl, and we finish what we started." For now, they were a team. All three of them united could do much more than only one of them could, and Brooke knew that. She knew that her best chance was to say with them, no matter what happened.

Tomorrow, they would begin the search for that girl, and when they found her, she would die. The face of the girl appeared in her mind for a second, almost as if to haunt her, but Brooke pushed the thought aside.

It wasn't time to care. She could do it all when she got back to District Eight, safe and sound, and let the thoughts of every she had done in the Games consume her. For now, it was time to survive.

For now, it was time to be the Brooke Devoir that had survived in the streets of District Eight, without no one to look after her.

She could do it.

She _would_ do it.

* * *

 **Tiena Pensiere; 18 years old.  
 **District Four Female.****

* * *

 _I'm a coward._

In the Academy, they had prepared them for everything. To fight with every kind of weapon that existed, to fight with hands and feet, and to prepare to when it was finally time for the Career alliance to break up. But they had never told them how it felt like to kill someone, or to know that somewhere, a family was grieving because their son, daughter, brother, sister or friend had just died.

She had killed. She tried to ignore that feeling, pushing it to the back of her mind, but it kept coming back again and again, almost as if to haunt her. And whenever she tried to distract herself, without of home and Damian and her family, her eyes flickered back to the body of the girl that she had killed.

 _Sedna Orwell. District Seven. Eighteen years old._

She tried to tell herself that she had done the right thing. She was a Career, and if she hadn't killed, her fate would have one like Nikolai's, or even Aidan's, whose life had been made a living hell by Sadie since the Bloodbath ended. She tried to ignore that thought, to just _forget,_ but it wasn't possible while the body of the girl whose life she had taken was right there, only a few meters away from her.

Sadie, however, looked more happy than Tiena had ever seen here. Gave her orders in a light voice, joked around with Alexa and even Jasko, and looked _happy._ The only one of them, out of the five Careers, that actually looked happy to be in there. "When do you think they'll be removing the bodies?" Tiena asked, when Sadie passed near her, probably searching for another weapon.

Sadie just shrugged, and gave her a small smirk. "Who cares? I mean, they're dead, it's not like they're going to come back and haunt us, right?" When Tiena didn't laugh, Sadie just continued. "If they start to sting, we'll just move somewhere else, and maybe even hunt for a few tributes. We can do anything, Tiena. We're Careers."

"Are you happy, now that he's gone?" As soon as the words left her mouth, Tiena knew that she probably shouldn't have said that. If she had said it to the other Sadie, she would have made a long explanation about why she hated Nikolai so much, but this one, just brushed it aside.

"He was just standing in our way. Now that he's gone, we can finally do what we are to do, and be Careers. You understand that, right?"

No, no, she didn't. Tiena didn't kill because she wanted to. She killed because she _had_ to, if she ever wanted to feel Damian's arms around her again. That was all that mattered, in the end. Coming back to District Four, and living her life, and being happy with who she was.

Nothing caring about what other people thought and living her life, that was all that mattered. Tiena was only starting to realize that now, and they were not even two days into the Games.

But Tiena had always been a great actor, pushing aside emotions and pretending to be someone she wasn't, so she quickly brushed it aside and gave Sadie a small smile. If the girl from Two realized that it was fake, then she didn't show it. "I do, of course. We're all here for the same reason, and in the end, we understand each other."

She smiled, and Sadie followed. "Good. I'm glad to hear that you and I are in the same side, Tiena. There might something coming up really soon, and if it does, I want to know if you're ready."

So, she was right, after all. That happy Sadie was just a façade, and beneath it, laid the Sadie who wasn't afraid of doing anything that she wanted. She had killed Nikolai, even if it wasn't her weapon that ended his life, it was her order. And now, she was after Jasko and Aidan, and maybe even Tiena herself.

She didn't want any of this. She didn't want to play a part in this Games of betrayal, and lies, and heartbreak, where every moment could be her last. She just wanted Damian back, and her parents, and District Four. But if she came back now, it wouldn't be the same thing.

She had a made a choice. Tiena Pensiere wasn't someone to back away and cry about what she had done, no, she was someone that pushed it to the back of her mind and deal with the consequences. And right now, Sadie's side was the right one to be in, even if she didn't always play by the right rules.

If Tiena ever wanted to have the chance of taking Sadie down, she would need to be on her side. For now, anyway. "What is it?"

"I can't tell you yet," The nervous glances that Sadie kept giving at Aidan and Jasko confirmed her theory. It was truly something against them, and something that could end the Career alliance once and for all. "But if anything happens, I need to know that you and Alexa have my back."

"We do." Tiena smiled, and placed her hand on Sadie's arm. "Relax, for now. If anything happens, we are stronger."

It took a while, but Sadie smiled back at her. "Thank you, Tiena." It was only when she left that Tiena realized that she had been holding her breath for the entire time.

One thing she was sure about. Sadie wanted to end their alliance, once and for all, but she couldn't do it alone. If Jasko or even Aidan died, they would be weaker. People would know that two more Careers were dead, and would take the opportunity to maybe even try to strike and steal their supplies.

In the end, though, Sadie was their leader. She made the decisions, and as long as they were respectable, Tiena would follow her. District partner would only get her somewhere, but if she was with Sadie, then they could get somewhere.

Standing up, never letting the spear fall of her hand, Tiena walked in to the Cornucopia, where Alexa resting with a bandaged shoulder. When she saw her, Alexa smiled a little bit. "Hey there."

Tiena sat down, next to her sleeping bag, and smiled. Alexa was the closest thing that Tiena had to a friend in there, and she couldn't lose her. Not yet, anyway. "Are you feeling better?"

Alexa nodded. "Yeah, I am. The boy got me pretty good, but it's nothing that I won't be able to handle. At least, I'm alive, right?"

Tiena laughed. "Don't worry, if he killed you, I would have killed him after. Couldn't let him kill you and get away with it, after all." That was nice. To be joking, even when there were 6 dead bodies, only a few meters away from them. It was nice to know that it wasn't all about pain and lies and heartbreak and that at the end of the day, she had someone in there that she could consider a friend.

A _friend._ Yes, Alexa was her friend. No matter who dangerous that was, no matter the fact that at least one of them would have to die for the other to live, she was her friend. The only person that Tiena know she could trust, if everything went to hell.

Today, tomorrow, she had Alexa's back and she had hers. For now, that was that Tiena needed to know.

Alexa lowered her voice. "Listen, Sadie has a plan. And when it happens, we need to have her back. It might not be the right thing to do, but the alternative won't let us live."

"We will," Tiena agreed. "But if everything goes to hell, we leave, and let her deal with the mess that she started in the first place. It's not her plan, and if it goes wrong, we don't have to deal with the consequences."

Alexa caught Tiena's hand, and for a second, held it in hers. "I think it can actually work, you know? If it does, we'll finally be able to have peace. Even if it's only a few days."

"I suppose we'll see if she does have the brains to make a plan work." Tiena laughed, and Alexa followed her. "Peace is all I want right now, to be honest. This is an hell of a day." Alexa said.

And it was. The bloodbaths weren't usually like that, but with Sadie Ariste in the Games, Tiena supposed that everything could happen. "You can rest now. I'll stay right here, and if anything comes here, I'll scare it away."

"With what?" Alexa laughed, and closed her eyes.

It was Tiena's turn to smile. "My amazing skills with a spear, obviously."

After a while, Tiena could swear that Alexa had fallen asleep. It was only by then that she realized that she was still holding the other girl's hand, or rather, she was holding hers.

She was about to get up and get a sleeping bag for herself, when she heard the noise. It came from the nearest tunnel, but getting closer and closer.

The lights went out, leaving the five of them in complete darkness.

* * *

 _No deaths._

* * *

 **A/N:** Remember when I said that I was slowing down? Yeah, that's probably not happening. I love this story too much, and the different plots? Well, this chapter was only the beggining.

Sooo, summary for today. Ryella managed to convince Leila to not go after the Careers _yet,_ Hex found a new alliance and a new purpose, Brooke decided who side she was on, and so did Tiena.

Oh and, the lights went out. What that means? You'll figure out that soon enough. A clue: the glasses that came with their outfits will be needed next chapter.

I hate non-death chapters. It's true, but they're necessary to set the plots running. I'll probably have a few of them in the future, but we'll see. Next chapter, we'll start with the deaths again!

* * *

 **Questions:**

 _Favorite POV? Least Favorite?_

 _Any predictions for the future?_

 _Next death?_


	20. Choices

**Chapter Twenty.**  
 **Day Two.**

* * *

 **Coulter Xenophon; 16 years old.**  
 **District Ten Male.**

* * *

He hated that place.

Coulter and Oliver were far away from the Cornucopia by then, but not away from danger. Every turn they had to make, Coulter could swear that he saw something moving in the shadows, only to disappear a few seconds later. And now, they were in complete darkness. It was Oliver's idea to try the glasses, after they had been stumbling around the darkness for hours, without any idea of what they should do.

With the glasses, they could see, but not nearly as well as they could with the light. Even that, the Gamemakers decided to take away from them.

For Coulter, the worst part was that the bloodbath had completely torn his alliance apart.

Hex was no where to be found. Oliver promised him that the boy was okay, and sooner or later, they would run into him and everything would be okay again. After all, the arena couldn't be that that big, could it?

Oliver wasn't himself either, Coulter could realize that from a mile away. The boy who had been his first friend, that had treated him better than anyone had in years, was gone. Something happened in the Bloodbath, something that took away Oliver's previous cheerful personality.

Coulter tried his best. He had kept them moving, divided their supplies in the best away that he could, and found a place for them to sleep. Oliver was right, though, when he said that they couldn't spend too much time in one place. The Gamemakers would find that boring, and soon, the mutts would be all over them. Coulter didn't even want to imagine what kind of mutts they had created, in a place as dark as that arena.

He just wanted them back. Oliver, with his jokes and completements, and even little Hex. They were his friends, his first real friends that had done everything for him, and what had he done for them?

Nothing. He didn't even bother to look for Hex, or to try and ask Oliver what went wrong in the Bloodbath. Oliver's district partner was dead, Coulter knew that much. They had seen her face in the sky, along with the Careers, and Oliver hadn't said anything. He had just sighed, nodded, and closed his eyes to try and get some sleep, leaving Coulter with no other choice.

He had to be brave. For the first time in his life, he had to be brave, and have the courage to do something for himself. He owed that to his friends, Oliver and Hex, and even to his family back home. He could die, yes, but at least he would die knowing that he finally did something that made his family proud.

All that Tanner wanted was for him to be brave. Coulter wanted to be, with every last inch of strenght that he had, but he couldn't. Even if he searched, deep down, he didn't have it in him. But right there, with Hex missing and Oliver a few seconds away from falling apart, he had no other choice.

"We've searched everywhere, Coulter," Oliver let himself fall against the wall, looking much older than what he truly was. "If Hex is somewhere around here, we'll find him. Sooner or later, but we also need to rest."

"B-but he's our ally, and our friend. If he's out there, we need to keep searching for him. He's the youngest tribute in the whole arena, Oliver." He tried to make Oliver understand his point of view in the best way that he could. The old Oliver would have agreed with him, simply brushing it aside with a laugh and a smile, but that Oliver was gone.

Like every good thing in Coulter's life, the happiness was soon replaced with the cold, harsh reality, leaving nothing but the emptiness inside of his chest. "Don't you get it by now, Coulter? There are no friends in the arena. Only the people who do what needs to be done, and those who don't. News flash, buddy, some of them are already gone. And soon, we will be too." Oliver snapped, punching the wall next to him, looking lie he was about to kill someone.

"I thought we were friends." Coulter said, ignoring the lump that was starting to form in his throat. He couldn't abandon Oliver, not there, and not ever. He was the first real friend that Coulter had after the accident, and the only one that ever cared if he was okay or not.

He wouldn't let the Hunger Games take that away from him. No, they could take his life, his home, his family and even the old Coulter but he wouldn't let them take his best friend away.

He refused to let them win, not this time.

Oliver's eyes widened, and he quickly sighed. "Coulter, I'm sorry... I.. I don't know what's happening to me," He took a deep breath. "I killed her, Coulter."

He had killed. Suddenly, all the pieces started to make sense in Coulter's head, just like the old puzzles that he used to play with when he was a young boy.

Oliver had killed someone, maybe even his district partner. When Oliver had reached him after the bloodbath, backpack in one hand and knife in the other, Coulter thought it was weird. His district partner had an alliance, and of course they would want the backpack. But Oliver had risked his own life to get that backpack, when all that Coulter had done was to run and hide in the shadows, and wait until Oliver was done.

 _Coward. You're such a coward, Coulter._

"Niamh. She wanted the backpack too, Coulter and she c-came up at me and... I couldn't do anything. It all happened so fast, one second she was there, and the other one she was already dead. I'm so sorry."

He wanted to run. He wanted to run, away from this boy. The boy who had once been his best friend, and now, was nothing but a killer. A boy that probably wouldn't even hesitate to kill him, if it came down to it.

Coulter was so tired. So, so tired, that all he wanted to do was give up and go home. To be at peace, with his horses and his family, and to never have to see someone die again.

That was all he wanted, but something that he would probably never see again. He had always choosed to see the best in people, but most of all, in the people that were good to him.

Oliver was his friend, but deep down, he was just another teenage boy, trying his best to go back to his family. If he turned his back on his first friend, then what kind of person would he be?

No, he couldn't do it. After sixteen years of running away, Coulter Xenophon was done with hiding in the shadows, and way for others to do things for himself.

"You had to do it," Coulter said, and he placed a hand on Oliver's shoulder. "Otherwise, we would have no supplies, and we would probably be dead already."

Oliver smiled, picked himself up, and nodded. "C'mon. We have an ally to find, and when we do find Hex, I'm gonna kick his sorry little ass for running away."

Coulter laughed, fixing his glasses. It was weird enough that they were completely in the dark, and the only light source were those night vision glasses, that were a part of the arena outfit. They couldn't see anything, only what was ahead of them. If anything came to attack them from behind, they would be completely screwed.

"You can't blame him, Oliver, the kid is only thirteen. We need to find him, or else, he will be dead soon." That was when they saw it. At first, Coulter thought there was something wrong with the glasses, and they were blocking his vision.

Something black, almost Oliver's side, blocked their way to the tunnel. It took Coulter a few seconds to realize what it was. A spider, like the ones that haunted the old places of the barn back home, only that this one was almost ten times bigger. With eight legs, black fur, and a mouth that could probably swallow both of them in a second.

They couldn't fight it, he knew that much. "Oliver?" Whatever happened, they were together. If he died now, if he never got to see District Ten again, at least Oliver would have a chance to go back home. To see his mothers again, and to be the son he always wanted.

He could do it. For his best friend, he could do anything.

"RUN!" They turned around, and started to run. Coulter ran as fast as his legs could take him, and he never dared to looked back at the thing following them. It was leading them, somewhere, Coulter was sure of that.

But where?

* * *

 **Katarina Morellee; 18 years old.**  
 **District Five Female.**

* * *

She was annoyed.

They had been searching for hours, and the dark had only made it worse. Of course, she had quickly figured out the glasses, and what they were for. But deep inside, Katarina was worried. She knew that they needed to get to the girl, sooner or later, or the Gamemakers would turn on them.

If the Capitol lost their hope on her, on _them,_ then Katarina knew that it was the end. They wanted a Victor who did what needed to be done, not some scared coward, who ran away.

She had killed, yes. Unlike what many people thought, it wasn't that hard. At least, for herself. All it took was the time where it was her life or the boy's, and Katarina had made a quick choice. She fought for herself, and for her alone, because who would do it if she didn't? No one.

It was all an illusion, the alliances. Yes, they were good for something, but they could also turn out badly, if the leader didn't know how the handle the others in the right way. She knew. Brooke and Nerinea were so wrapped around her finger, both under the illusion that they were friends and would give their lifes for each other, that they wouldn't even notice when she stabbed both of them in the back.

But right now, she needed them. They were good allies, and until now, they had served their purpose.

"I feel like this is a maze, and we'll never find her." Brooke said, kicking what seemed like a skull away from them. "This is just a waste of time, Kat. I mean, she's just a tribute. There are plenty of them and who knows, we might run into someone in the way back to our cave."

 _Yes. Maybe the Capitol would be generous, and lead the way into that girl from Eleven._

"We have to do it, Brooke." Carefully, Katarina placed an arm around the younger girl. Nerinea was quiet, too quiet. She had something going in, Kat would bet her life in it. Not in the literal sense, though. Brooke was so much easier to manipulate, a kind word and a hug here and there, and she had her perfect ally. "Imagine all the sponsors that we'll get, once this is over with. If people see that we're capable, then they'll be on our side."

The one that would be by her side during a fight, and would never betray her. _Ever._

In a way, she respected both of them. Maybe Brooke more than Nerinea, but of them were fighters. None of them were willing to give up, because there was still much left to do. So much to say, so much to accomplish for teenage girls who never had a choice but to do what other people wanted.

But they were in the Hunger Games, and Katarina had always been a perfect actor, and manipulating people was and would always be the best thing about her. She wasn't afraid of playing the villian, if it meant, she would go back District Five, rich and famous, and could show her parents that they had choosed to ignore the wrong child.

Nerinea was the loose end, the one that she needed to get rid off, sooner or later. Endless possibilities passed through Katarina's head, from slitting her throat in the middle of the night and blaming it on the mutts, or to killing her herself. She couldn't work, or even manipulate, someone that she coudn't trust.

She had to go.

Somewhere among the way, Katarina head the noise. Someone, or rather someone, was coming their way. Footsteps, two pairs of them were approaching them, from the left side of the tunnel. She motioned to Brooke, and the girl from Eight was by her side in a matter of seconds. Nerinea quickly joined, and soon, all three of them were ready.

Her allies had their knives, and Kat hold on to her sickle. It felt like part of her, now that she had killed with it, it was oficially her weapon. It was easy to use, and by then, it was a natural extension of her arm. Where her allies had their knives, Katarina had her sickle.

Whatever was coming wouldn't get through the three of them without a fight. _Please be the girl. Please, please, please._ Every part of her was ready, but deep down, she wanted it to be quick. The girl had to die, that was clear by then.

But she couldn't make her suffer that much, even if that would give her many more sponsors, she still had to keep her allies on her side.

If she was alone, however... that was another story.

When they reached the entrance of the tunnel, Katarina saw them clearly. Two boys, probably the ones from Nine and Ten, both breathing heavily and holding on to each other. Whatever was chasing them remained in the shadows, where Katarina couldn't see.

But if they were there... it could only mean one thing. They had asked for a fight, and now, the Capitol was giving them one. If they could kill those boys, the next target would be the girl and by then, people would be lining up to sponsor them.

To sponsor her. If she had to kill to get the attention that she always wanted, to get what truly belonged to her, then so be it.

When the boy from Nine noticed him, his eyes widened but if he was scared, he didn't let it show. "Hello, ladies."

Out in the dark, she met Brooke's eyes, and the younger girl nodded. She also knew what they had to do, and that was why Brooke was the ally that she had to keep. No matter what. "You know what we have to do, of course."

"We don't have to fight," The younger boy said. "We don't wanna fight. If you just let us pass, we'll be on our way, and you can go back to doing whatever you want."

"If the Capitol lead us to each other, they only want one thing. And I'm not one to refuse to do whatever they want."

So that was it. The boy from Nine threw himself at her, and if Katarina hadn't been prepared, she would have fallen to the ground with the force that he was using. Her sickle met his sword, bringing both weapons up. He stepped back, swang his sword, but Katarina was quicker. She threw herself to the ground, sickle in hand, barely missing the blow that was supposed to take her head off.

Kat raised her sickle, and when Oliver came at her, she was ready. Steel met steel, once more. Before he could make the next move, Katarina's foot found Oliver's stomach, and he stumbled back, cursing. She had no idea where Nerinea and Brooke, but she could hear the fighting going on next to her.

Not a time to worry about them.

She got up, and punched Oliver straight in the face, with enough force to break his nose. "You're good." Even in the dark, Katarina could see the smug look in his face.

"So are you."

She hated boys like that. The smug look on their faces was enough to give them everything that they wanted, and Katarina hated it. She hated people like him, and if she got the chance to end him, it would be right now.

Oliver was on her again, and grabbed her wrist, twisting it. Kat tried to break free, but while she was much quicker, Oliver was much stronger than her. He twisted, and twisted, until she heard a loud _crack._ Hot, agonizing pain felt like an eletrical wave through her body, making her want to give up. She had felt pain before, but nothing compared to that. Her entire arm felt like it was on fire, and it happened to be her _right_ arm. Shit.

The sickle dropped uselessly to the ground, and Katarina couldn't do nothing but dodge his attacks, and try to ignore the throbbing pain on her wrist that made her want to scream. She went her fist flying into his face, over and over again, but Oliver still had a weapon. He pushed her to the ground, and Katarina fell while using her legs as a weapon, but he was too strong. He lifted the sword, preparing to give the final blow and Katarina waited... But it never came.

It was only when the lights turned back on, that Katarina saw what was happening. Brooke was right by her side, and offered her a hand. Kat quickly took it, and got up.

Nerinea, fighting with the boy fron Nine, got the upper hand. His sword left his hand, and right when Nerinea was about to go for the killing blow, something happened.

The boy from Ten pushed the other out of the way, and Nerinea's knife slipped into his back and into his heart. The boy's legs gave out, he stumbled foward, and the cannon sounded.

She was really able to do it.

For a second, the four of them stood there, and silence took over the entire cave. Even the mutts, who had make that fight happen in the first place, already disappeared.

The boy looked at them, then at his ally's corpse, and then back to them again. "You... YOU!" He threw himself at Nerinea, sword in hand. Nerinea did her her best, but it was only a simple knife against a sword. And right there, she didn't have what Oliver had. Rage, pure rage burning everything in the path, leaving only a desire to avenge his friend.

Brooke moved to help Nerinea, knife in hand, but Kat grabbed her wrist with her good hand. She could see what was about to happen from a mile away, and if she was about to lose one ally, she couldn't afford it to lose Brooke.

His sword swang one last time at Nerinea's neck, her head left her shoulders, and down she went, right when the cannon sounded.

In mere minutes, two of them were dead, and they were down to the final fifteen. Her ally, that Katarina had been so determined to kill a few minutes ago, was gone.

Just like that. All it took was one second, and it was all over.

Katarina did nothing. Numb by the pain on her wrist, she grabbed her sickle and grabbed Brooke's hand, leading the two of them away from there, leaving the boy from Nine to fend for himself.

The worst thing was that she had no idea about how to feel.

* * *

 **Sadie Ariste; 18 years old.**  
 **District Two Female.**

* * *

They were woken by the cannons.

When Sadie's eyes snapped open, and they were met with the light that filled the entire cavern, she almost sighed in relief. The darkness didn't scare her, of course not, but the fact that they could be killed without even knowing what hit them was more than unfair.

She wasn't afraid of stabbing someone in the back, but this was completely new. Alexa and Tiena had been on watch for the past two hours, and the rest of them were sleeping. Sleeping, when two cannons went off. Sadie had no idea of what happened, probably some alliance that went wrong or a mutt attack, but one thing she knew.

And that one thing had been bothering her for the past day and half, leaving her without sleep. The Hunger Games had been awful for the Careers so far. The alliance that she was supposed to be leading had only got four kills, and they were currently down to the final fifteen.

She couldn't let that happen. Of course, the Capitol knew about her plan, but it was still days away. If they didn't provide entertainment for the people in the Capitol, then her alliance would be just like any other one. Useless, and a perfect target for Gamemaker's mutts.

Sadie couldn't let that happen.

If she had to put her plan in motion a few days earlier, then so be it. Jasko and Aidan were currently talking together, like the idiots that they were, and so were Alexa and Tiena. Her alliance, divided into two groups, with her standing right in the middle. She knew whose back she would have, if it ever came down to it, but it felt different.

Back in District Two, Sadie always knew where she belonged. She had her place among the best of them, because she had earned it, and she knew where she belonged. But in the arena, it was all about choices, where anything could go wrong at any moment. It felt... lonely.

"Okay, everyone, it's time to move. It's our job to provide entertainment, and all we've been doing for the past few days is sit around and sleep." She walked over, so she could be facing all of them, but the only one that actually looked at her was Jasko.

"Not much to do in the dark, is there?" He let out a yawn, stretched out his arms and got up, spear in hand. "If you want to go hunt, then let's go. You and me. We'll go through there," He pointed to the darkest tunnel. "And we'll be back before morning."

Sadie couldn't stop a laugh. Did he really think that it would be that easy? That she would let herself die, at the hands of a nobody from District Four, when she was so close to getting what she had wanted her entire life? "It's not going to be that easy, Quinn."

"You can't blame me for trying, Ariste." They had been all smiles and laughs with each other since Nikolai died, but both of them knew that it was only a matter of time before they were at each other's throats.

But currently... Sadie could let it slide. He wasn't her target, not yet, anyway.

"I think we should split," Alexa said. "Some of us go hunting, and the others stay here guarding the supplies. When the others come back, we can switch." _Bless the world for Alexa Cadwell._

"Alexa, how's your shoulder?" It was still bandaged, but as much as Sadie could see, it was getting better. Tiena had been treating it for her, every eight hours, and it was starting to heal. Just a stab wound, after all.

"It's getting better." She nodded. "It's not on my right arm, so I can use my axe if I need to do. No need to worry about that."

"So you can go hunting?" Sadie had talked with Alexa before, explaining the plan to her, but Alexa would only agree to do it if Tiena could participate in it. They already had some sense of loyalty between the two of them, and there was nothing that Sadie could do to stop it. As long as she did what was promised, Sadie would be happy.

Another one would be out of her way, and then, the Hunger Games would truly begin. "Yes, I think I can." She stood up, but it was clear to Sadie that Alexa didn't have her full strenght.

Tiena stood up, spear in hand, and nodded at Sadie. "If she goes, I go. Alexa doesn't have her full strenght yet, and if someone attacks her, she might not be able to kill them."

Sadie nodded, gathering two backpacks from the Cornucopia, and handing them to Tiena. "Now, let's be clear. Whoever you find, you kill. There's no going back, or no mercy. We need to start taking out the weaker ones, so we can focus on giving the crown to one of our Districts."

"I want to go with them. I haven't killed anyone yet, and they did, so I think I deserve a chance to prove myself." Jasko looked shocked at his friend's request, but Aidan had a determined look on his face.

"But that leaves only me and her to handle the Cornucopia. C'mon, Aidan, stay. Alexa and Tiena can handle their own very well, but if someone comes to attack the Cornucopia, we'll be outnumbered." Jasko was almost pleading with the other boy to stay.

 _If he only knew what was about to happen._

"I need to go, Jasko. I'll be fine." _I'm sure you will._ "And after all, we don't have that much supplies. You and Sadie can handle the supplies until we get back, and then we can switch."

"Are you afraid of spending the rest of the night with me, Quinn?" She winked, but Jasko's eyes never left Aidan's. Just like Alexa and Tiena, they were loyal to each other. Willing to have each other's backs in a fight, but in the end, they were only fight for themselves. "Don't worry, I don't bite." _Not yet._

Just like everyone else in the arena.

"Very well. But if you don't find or kill anyone, turn and get back. It's safer in here than in the tunnels, anyway."

"He's right. Be back soon." They left a second later, Tiena and Alexa with their spear and axe, and Aidan with his crossbow, going through the dark tunnel. When it came down to it, he wouldn't stand a chance.

Sadie turned around, planning to eat something and maybe get more sleep, when Jasko grabbed her wrist. "You're planning something, aren't you?"

She could do nothing but laugh. "Yes, I'm planning on going to eat something. Care to join me?"

She tried to free herself from his grip, but Jasko was way too strong. "I mean it, Sadie. If anything happens to Aidan, you die. You can be sure of that."

She cringed. "You're such an idiot, Jasko. So what? At the sound of the next cannon, you'll just go off and try to kill me? Go on, do it now. I _dare_ you."

He raised a hand, but after a few seconds of consideration, let it fall back. "You should know your place, Jasko. You killed, and I respect that, so that's why you still have a place in my alliance. Try anything against me, and you'll see where you end up."

He would die. Just like Aidan, and even Tiena and Alexa. All of them would fall, until she was the only one left, and got what always belonged to her.

No one would stand in the way of her victory.

* * *

 **Aidan Lainell; 18 years old.**  
 **District One Male.**

* * *

He knew what was about to happen.

He didn't hate them, not really. Jasko was probably the closest thing to a friend that he would ever have in there, and the girls were only doing what they need to survive.

Sadie was the problem. The poisonous thorn that was doomed to destroy their alliance from the start, unless somebody decided to stop her. Nikolai knew, and he ended up dead at her feet, at the hands of someone that didn't even want to kill him. And now, here they are, destined to kill each other.

Aidan didn't want to do it. He held the crossbow tight in his hand, in case something happened, but he didn't really want to do it. If it came down to it, he probably would never have a chance. But he would fight, but it was his life at stake. It was a choice between doing what was right and what was wrong, but right there, the wrong thing meant that he could survive.

That he could go back to District One, and be the real Aidan. The one who loved Idaline more than anything in the world, and who wanted his siblings to grow up knowing what was the right thing to do.

If he won, he could stop them from doing the same madness that he did. There was a time when Aidan had wanted this, and he would have killed for the chance to prove himself. But then, he never thought that this would happen. He was there now, probably about to be killed at any minute, and all he wanted was his family back.

Glory wouldn't matter, if he had them. Aidan had only started to see that once they had entered the Games, from the moment that Sadie had made his life a living hell, to this.

He would give anything to have it back, to have _them_ back. But that was also why he couldn't give up, and give Sadie exactly what she wanted.

They had been walking for what seemed like hours, but now that the lights were turned back on, it was much easier. If something came to attack him, he would know. "This is annoying." He said, but as always, Alexa and Tiena continued to talk to each other quietly, not paying any attention to him.

He could kill them both, right there, and be done with it. One arrow to the heart, and they would both be dead, and Aidan would be one step closer to home.

He couldn't, though. Those girls had never done anything wrong, they were only doing what they need to survive. Just like himself, and just like Jasko. Maybe, if he could talk to them and tell them that Sadie was the real enemy, that she was just manipulating them, they would understand.

And then, they could kill Sadie, and be a real alliance for the rest of the Games. "Keep up, Aidan. We wouldn't to lose another ally to whatever lurks in those caves."

Tiena and Alexa continued to talk between each other, weapon in hand, ready to attack anything that came out of the dark. "When are we supposed to go back? I mean, it feels like it's been hours since we left the Cornucopia. Sadie and Jasko could have killed each other by now."

"Maybe they're making out. Releasing all of that anger between each other, and when we come back, they'll be as close as ever." Tiena laughed, and Alexa quickly followed her. It made Aidan feel a little bit better, knowing that they didn't completely hate him.

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he didn't have to die in there. Maybe.

"I don't get it why they hate each other so much, to be honest." Aidan said, catching up with them. "It's the Games, yes, but that attitude will only slow us down."

"Both of them want power. Jasko wanted to lead, but Sadie was the one who ended up doing it. In the end, it's all about being on the right side or not."

The right side. Had he been on the wrong side, all this time? Thinking that the Hunger Games would give him what he wanted, if he only managed to win. He thought that it would be easy, but in the end, the Academy never prepared them for what was about to happen.

They never prepared them for having to choose between his life, or another teenage girl.

Suddenly, they stopped. Tiena and Alexa, weapons out, to turned around to glance at him. _Oh._

"We don't have to do it, you know. That's what she wants, to destroy our alliance, until she's the only left." Aidan was suprised at how calm his voice was, considering what was about to probably happen.

"You're a good person, Aidan. And if Sadie wasn't in the Games with us, maybe it could have been different." Alexa smiled sadly, axe in hand, ready to attack at any moment.

"You've chosen your side, then." He said, and both of them nodded.

"If this was about who is good or bad, Aidan, you have one. But we have to choose a side, if we want to live." Tiena stepped foward, spear in hand, ready to make the kill.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"Me too." If they were going to fight, then he wasn't going to play fair. Not now, when his life could end at any minute. He threw the crossbow to the ground, seeing as it wouldn't help him, and removed a knife from his back-pocket.

Tiena made the first move. Her spear passing right through his shoulder, but Aidan moved out of the way, the spear making only a scratch on his shoulder. It burned, and Aidan could feel the blood staining his outfit, but ignored the pain for now.

He cursed, and held on into his knife. Tiena had her spear, and God knows what, while Aidan only had a knife, and his crossbow, that was lost somewhere in ground.

He kicked out at Tiena's stomach, knocking her balance away, and giving him the opportunity to strike. Aidan grabbed her ponytail, and brought a fist towards her throat, throwing her to the ground. Tiena groaned, trying to to get up, but Aidan was much stronger. He brought his foot towards her stomach, kicked and kicked, and Tiena moaned in pain.

He brought the knife down, planning on making the final blow, but Tiena blocked the knife with her spear, sending her feet flying into Aidan's stomach. Air was knocked out of his lungs, for a second, and Aidan stumbled back, losing his balance.

Tiena used the opportunity to get up, using her spear as support, and brought a fist towards his face. Aidan tried to get up of the way, but the first connected with his face, his nose exploding with pain and blood when it cracked.

Aidan bite back a scream, using the opportunity to throw himself at Tiena. All it took was one wrong move, and he sank the knife into her collarbone. Tiena screamed, and Aidan removed the knife, sending his elbow flying into her head. Tiena's legs gave out, and she collapsed, breathing heavily.

Aidan kicked the spear away, and was about to deliver the final blow to her, when something knocked him out of the way. He threw himsef to the ground, barely missing Alexa's axe, and the blow that was supposed to take of his head. His own district partner, attacking him, all for the sake of her friend's life.

Look how far they had come.

Alexa swang her axe again, but Aidan rolled to his left, the axe landing almost near his head. Alexa was doing her best, Aidan could see it, but her moves were still weak from the wound in her shoulder. Before she could bring the axe down once more, Aidan grabbed her leg, and with all the strenght that he had, pulled her to the ground.

Alexa fell, the axe still in her hand, but Aidan was ready. He tackled her over, bringing his knife down on her injured shoulder, and twisting it. Alexa screamed, so loud that Aidan was sure the entire cave could hear, but sent her foot into his crotch.

Pain took over his body, and Aidan tried to hold back a scream, but he couldn't do it. Alexa got up, blood dripping from her opened wound, and slapped him. The force of the blow made him stumble back, but before he could do anything else, fire erupted in his leg. Pain, agonizing pain made him lose his balance, only to see Tiena remove her spear from his leg, pain taking over and making his legs give out.

He fell, his body hiting the ground with a loud _crack,_ only seeing Alexa swinging her axe towards him in the last second. He rolled over, wanting to stand up, but his entire body seemed to give out in that moment. He was breathing heavily, when he realized that he still had the knife in his hand.

 _I'm not giving up. Not yet._

He tried to throw it towards Alexa, hoping that the knife would bury itself in her shoulder, making her fall down once and for all. The blow was weak, but so were the three of them , and Alexa moved out of the way, claiming his knife as her own.

All of them were tired. Breathing heavily; Aidan with his injured leg, Alexa with her shoulder, and Tiena with her collarbone. None of them wanted to give up, but then, none of them wanted to die either. Aidan's leg was basically a limp by then, and Alexa's shoulder was breathing heavily.

It was Tiena that moved. She motioned for Alexa to get out of the way, throwing her spear in his direction. Aidan tried to move away, but it was too late. His body was too weak, and the leg was bleeding too much.

Tiena buried her spear in his chest, and then, pain took over. Aidan screamed, louder than he ever had before, and tried to take it out. Pain took over all of his senses, and for a moment, he felt like he was on fire. Burning, agonizing pain, taking away all of his strenght.

"I'm sorry." Tiena said, and she smiled sadly, holding onto her stomach.

"M-Me too." The pain started to go away, being replaced by a dull numbing, making him want to give up. To close his eyes, and just embrace death, and to stop fighting. In his last moments, Aidan choosed to close his eyes.

He saw all of them: Cordelia, Daniel, Idaline, his parents. Everyone that he had loved was there with him in the end, telling him that it was okay to give up. He had fought, and now, it was time to rest.

 _I'm so sorry._

 **BOOM!**

* * *

 ** _Coulter Xenophon, District Ten Male._**

 ** _Nerinea Aravis, District Three Female._**

 ** _Aidan Lainell, District One Male._**

* * *

 **Fifidear, I have to admit that I didn't really connect with Coulter in the beggining.** **He was a very complex character, but when I thought of his alliance with Oliver, everything started to make sense. Since his accident, all he ever wanted was a real friend and he found it in Oliver, or so he thought. Their dynamic was one of my favorites to write, and in the end, Coulter found that he truly had it in him. He was brave, a good person, and found it that he had it in him to give his life for his best friend. Thank you for him!**

 **Aspect, Nerinea was such a good character. No matter what everyone else thought, I connected with her. She was abused by her father, and then, she snapped. I don't think that made her a bad person, no, she was just someone trying to do her best to survive. She was smart, and cunning, but she fell out of place with Brooke and Katarina. It was the perfect alliance for her, yes, but with Katarina and Nerinea together, it couldn't last too long. Sadly, I didn't have anything else in store for her. I'll miss her, though. Thank you for submitting!**

 **Remus, I started to connect with Aidan near the beggining of the Capitol. In an alliance full of people trying to destroy each other, he was the only sane one, just trying to survive. With Sadie being Sadie, sadly, it couldn't last long. Aidan's friendship with Jasko, his relationship with Alexa, it was all great to write. But in the end, he got caught up in Sadie's plan, by trying to do the right thing. He died himself, and for that, I'm proud of him. I'll miss him, the only really sane Career that I had. Thank you for Aidan!**

* * *

 **A/N:** So... this chapter happened. Some POVS I'm proud of, some I'm not, but it doesn't really matter. To be honest, in my original plan, this chapter only had one death, and the rest would die in Day Three. But then I started writing, and realized that it made more sense for all three of them to die in here, and for things to calm down a bit in the next chapter. For devolopment, and to make the plots move foward, all three of them died in here.

Yeah... next chapter is calmer than this one, but not that much. Now that we're in the final fourteen, things are starting to heat up and guess what? It's time to see more of the arena. Speaking about the arena... I think some might have figured it out already, but yes, the light is connected with the deaths. Imagine it like this: when someone dies, the light remains until the end of the day, and the mutts stay away. If there's no death in the next day, the lights will go off and well, the mutts will come out.

That's all I guess. Day Three coming soon! ;) (No, I'm not killing three of them every chapter. Relax.)

* * *

 **Questions:**

 _Are you suprised with who died?_

 _Thoughts on the deaths?_

 _Next death?_


	21. Hold Me Down

**Chapter Twenty-One.**  
 **Day Three.**

* * *

 **Amaryllis Carmellia; 16 years old.**  
 **District Twelve Female.**

* * *

With each passing day, Amaryllis could feel her own sanity slipping away, being replaced by a dull sense of numbness.

This place, with every death and every twist that the Gamemakers were thowing at them, was taking away the old Amaryllis, and leaving someone that only wanted to survive. With every cannon, Amaryllis wanted to do something. Kill, run, fight, it didn't matter.

All of it would have been better than sitting there, without moving a muscle. Tyson and his new friend, the little idiot from District Seven, seemed perfectly content with just sitting there, telling each other stories of their old life, back in Seven and Twelve.

She wanted to leave them. If they wanted one thing, and she wanted another, the right answer would be to leave them and just get along with whatever she wanted to do. _Not in the Hunger Games, though._ She couldn't just leave, and let the two of them alive, not when her own life was at stake.

When her own life was at stake, Amaryllis knew that she couldn't be what she was, back in District Twelve. Back home, being a good girl was who she was, because it suited her. People knew her as Amaryllis Carmellia, and whenever she need to use someone, she already had them down there, at her feet.

But in there, in both the arena and the Capitol, she was no one. She was just a tribute, like all thirteen others that were still alive, fighting for her life and doing what they were supposed to be. It was all about roles in the end, after all. Back home, she played the role of the saint, while hiding her true intentions deep down, and playing people like they were supposed to be played, with only one thing in mind. Her survival was all that mattered, after all.

And if she had to change people's opinions on her to survive... then so be it. Who cared about what people thought of her, as long as she was alive and breathing? If she could deal with the Hunger Games, then she could deal with anything that people threw back at her.

She was Amaryllis Carmellia, and even if people tried, she wouldn't break.

She needed to do something, and quickly. The more people died, the less chances she had to having sponsors, and people to bet on her. But if she killed, though, people would look at her differently. They would see that she was willing to do what need to be done, and give the Capitol their perfect Victor. Beautiful, and deadly.

She was no saint, Amaryllis knew that. By looking at her allies, two boys with a family and everything to lose, she knew that they would never be able to do it. Even if their life depended on it, they wouldn't. They held on to their humanity, like it was the last thing they had, and the most precious one.

They would never be able to kill, not if someone pointed a knife at their throat and forced them to choose between kill or killed. But she could do it, Amaryllis realized. Her life was everything that mattered. Not her district, not her home, and not even her family. She mattered, and no one else did. It had always been that simple, so why should it change now?

If she didn't fight for herself, then who would?

And right now, she had two perfect pawns in there, waiting to be used and twisted by her, until she didn't need them. _Do it now. While it's still dark._

Apparently, the three cannons in the last day didn't gave the Gamemakers what they wanted. As soon as the day ended, the lights went out again, bringing back everything that was hidden in the dark. Tyson had suggested that they should stay where they currently where, to not risk stumbling into another tribute.

Even if she didn't want to admit it, Amy knew that he was right. Tyson always knew the right thing to say, or the right thing to do, no matter what had just happened. When Niamh died, though, Amy noticed the difference in him. It looked like something had stolen his ground, leaving him without any other place to go.

When he met Hex, though, Amaryllis saw everything change. The boy that would be perfect as her pawn, the one that wouldn't hesitate to avenge their fallen ally, turned back into the boy from District Twelve. Smart, kind and the perfect friend.

She couldn't let that continue to happen. For her plan to work, she needed someone to have her back, someone that she could manipulate to do her killing when the time came. Not that she couldn't do it, but of course, it was much easier to make others do it, than to make her own hands dirty with their own blood.

And for that to happen, Hex had to go. _Do it. Do it._ When she looked at the boy, sleeping next to her, a pit formed at the end of her stomach. He was just a boy, even younger than she was, with family and friends...

 _It's you or him. Choose._

Amaryllis made her choice with a silent sigh, and the nerves were suddenly replaced with blind determination. She had slipped a few pills into the water that she gave Tyson last night, hoping that they work out. If everything went according to her plan, Tyson would only wake up after the boy was long gone, and Amy could blame it on a mutt or something.

And then, she would have her perfect pawn.

She didn't want to do it, but in the end, it wasn't much of a choice. All of her life, she had been putting herself first, and she wasn't about to stop now. If she wanted to make it to her eighteen birthday, she couldn't stop now.

Making sure that Tyson was fast asleep, and that everything was going according to her plan, Amaryllis stood up, a small knife in her hand. She had taken it from their supplies, without Tyson ever realizing it, and had kept it in her pocket ever since.

 _Now or never._

She knelt next to Hex, slowly dragging the covers of his sleeping bag away, grabbing the side of his head and jerking it away to the side, leaving his neck exposed. If she did it quickly, he wouldn't feel a thing. She looked down at his sleeping face one more time, and muttered a small apologize.

She didn't hate him. Not really, anyway. In the end, it was all about doing what was necessary to save her own skin, no matter the cost. If she had to lose her humanity to live, then so be it.

 _Do it._

Grabbing him by the hair, Amaryllis took a deep breath. With a swift flick of her wrist, she slit his throat from ear to ear, not even stopping when the blood dyed her hands bright red. Hex's eyes snapped open, and when he tried to scream or to stop the bleeding, Amaryllis placed her hand on his face, stopping him from making anymore noise, or from breathing.

In a way, Amy just wanted to make it quicker for him. He was a boy, and he didn't deserve to die but then, neither did she. And in the end, when it was all said and done, it was all about doing what was necessary.

 _You win or you die._

It was only when Hex's eyes met hers, and the silent _why_ echoed all around them, that Amaryllis felt the tears blurring her vision. Hex tried to move, to stop the life from slipping away from him, but it was already too late. A few seconds later, he finally _finally_ gave up. He closed his eyes, silent tears falling down his face, and his hands fell from his throat to the side.

Hex tried to breath for a final time, gave up and that was it. When the cannon sounded, echoing through the entire cave, the lights finally came back. Amy saw the body, and all the blood surroding them, and felt like throwing up, right there.

She couldn't. She had done what she had to, and now, it was time for the second part of her plan.

Using the blood on her hands to simulate a fight, and messing up her hair, Amy shaked Tyson awake. It took a while, but when the boy's eyes snapped open, Amy started to cry. It wasn't that hard, Amy realized. The tears were already there, and when she let them, started to fall down her face.

"T-Tyson, p-please.." Tyson looked confused, but when he saw all the blood around them, he found his feet easily. "Amy, what the hell?!" He ran to Hex; trying to awake the boy, trying to do anything, when he realized that he was too late. Hex was gone, and he had done nothing.

"What the hell happened?!"

Amy started sobbing. "I-I was s-sleeping a-and h-he c-came at me w-with a knife and h-he left me no c-hoice..." At that point, she was a complete mess. Amy threw her arms around Tyson's waist, sobbing, and holding him closer to her.

"I'm s-so s-orry, h-he was going to k-kill me and I-I couldn't... I couldn't l-let it h-happen..." She heard Tyson sigh, but all it took was a second for him to hug her back. Amy had to stop herself from laughing out loud at how easy the boy was to manipulate.

"It's gonna be okay, Amy, it's gonna be okay." She was sobbing into his chest, and after a while, Tyson just gave in and started to stroke her hair and finally, crying with her. That was when she realized that she had been right all along, ever since the moment that Tyson reminded her of who she truly was, back in the chariot rides.

This was a boy that would do anything to protect the last piece of District Twelve that he had with him, no matter the cost. And right now, she just need to know how to use that to her own advantage.

Everything was finally starting to work out.

* * *

 **Leila Rorie; 17 years old.**  
 **District Ten Female.**

* * *

Leila thought she was getting better.

So far, the Games hadn't been so hard for them. Physically, all three of them were fine. Preston had been in a fight with the boy from District Three, Leila knew that much.

But Ryella had been there, and ended the boy's life before he could kill Preston. She had done her duty as an ally, when all that Leila had done was stand there and watch, when her closest friend had been killed.

In a way, she felt ashamed. So ashamed that all she wanted to do was run away, and hide for days, without anyone there to watch her. She shouldn't have reacted that way. What would Sadie think, seeing her like this? The love of her life, the only reason that Leila still have left to fight for.

Sadie had been her life, since they were fourteen. She didn't have her parents, she didn't have a family, but she had Sadie. The girl who had always been there for her, no matter what happened. And right now, she had to fight. All they had was each other, and if Leila died in there, Sadie would be alone.

She coudn't let that happen. She had to fight, and if not for herself, then for Sadie.

Ryella and Preston had been keeping it to each other all morning, and for that, Leila was grateful. They were allies, a team and maybe even friends, but she needed some time alone. If it had happened any other time, Leila would be more than happy to join their talk, and just be her usual self.

But right there, right now, she needed her own space. To think, to mourn but most of all, to decide what she was going to do next. They needed to move, that was clear. If they stayed in the cave, without looking for any tributes or providing the entertainment that the Gamemakers wanted, the mutts would come after them.

And they would die, all three of them, just like Sedna did. _Sedna._ Her friend, her best friend in that place, was dead. Leila knew that it would happen eventually, if she ever wanted to get back to Sadie, there would come a time when Ryella and Preston would have to die too. But yet, knowing the harsh true didn't stop it from hurting any less.

It didn't stop her from wanting revenge. She couldn't stop her friends from dying, no, but she could avenge them. She could honor their deaths, and remember them, if she ever managed to get out of that place. It was the only thing Leila would ever be able to do. Be there for them when they die, and then, avenge them.

The girl had to die, that was clear. When the time came, she would take her down, and avenge Sedna. But would it be enough? Would the death of another teenage girl be enough to fill the void that Sedna's death had left?

Leila didn't know. But right now, it was all that she had left. To avenge her friend, and maybe win this, somewhere along the way. But in order for that to happen, they needed to start moving.

She stood up, brushing the dirt out of her clothes, and moved closer to where Ryella and Preston where standing.

What had been so easy for her once, talking and laughing with the people that she cared about, was something that Leila couldn't manage to do right now. She tried her very best to pretend that she was still the same Leila Rorie that left District Ten, the one who loved nothing more than to drink and party and be with the girl that she loved, but she wasn't.

The Games had changed her, even if Leila hated to admit it. Right now, she didn't want to talk, she only wanted to go back to her sleeping back and sleep and pretend that when she woke up, she would be back home. But if she ever wanted to win, they needed to move out of there. _For Sedna._

"Hey guys." She tried her best to smile, but from the look of sympathy in both Ryella and Preston's eyes, she knew it wasn't working. "What are we doing?" In a way, she was glad that she and Sedna decided to join Ryella and Preston. They had left her alone when Sedna died, giving her time to mourn in her own way, and in that way she couldn't have asked for better allies.

"Nothing, as usual." Preston laughed, toying with one of his arrows. "If we're staying here, I don't think I'll be needing any of those any time soon." Even Preston himself, with his jokes and dirty puns, had kept to himself ever since the Games began. He and Ryella were close, yes, but it didn't stop her from making him shut up when it wasn't time for a laugh.

"I think we need to move," Leila said. "Even if it's only to find another place to stay, or to see if we can find some other supplies. If we stay here, you know what will happen."

Ryella sighed. In that moment, Leila noticed that girl looked much older than what she truly was. She didn't know Ryella, not really, but she was a friend. She had been there for Leila when she needed someone the most, and whenever Ryella needed it, Leila would be there too. That was what friends were for, anyway. "Leila... we can't. Not yet."

"I'm not saying to go after the Careers, Ryella." She had to make Ryella understand. If they stayed there for any longer, then something really bad would happen. "We just need to move."

"And to kill." Preston said. When he noticed that both Ryella and Leila were staring at him, Preston just shrugged. "What? Both of you know that it's true. If one of us will ever make it out of here, we need to start playing their Game."

"I say we don't need to kill." Leila didn't want to do it. Every time she thought of killing someone Sadie's faced appeared in her mind. The girl she loved, watching Leila in the Games, turning into someone completely different than the person that left District Ten, less than a month ago. "Only if someone tries to attack us. And until later, too."

Preston turned to Ryella. Once again, the decision came to a girl that never wanted to be a leader, not really. "Preston is right, Leila. If we didn't find someone to kill, then we'll become boring. You know what they do to the people that they think are boring."

She nodded, sighing in defeat. "I'll go get my supplies, and then we can go." It was for the best, Leila knew, but it didn't make it any easier.

 _You have to be strong, idiot._ All of her life, she had been the Leila Rorie that didn't really care about anything, refusing to let people ruin the life that she had chosen for herself. The life that she fought for, and the one that she wasn't about to give back that easily.

That was when she heard it. At first, Leila thought that it was just something in her head, and that she was going nuts. Footsteps, echoing through the right side of the cave, and coming straight towards them.

It didn't take too long for Ryella and Preston to notice it, either. Leila rushed towards them, a knife in each hand and the others on her belt. "Weapons out. We don't know what that is, or who, but it's going down." Ryella had her falchion out, Preston knocked an arrow on his bow and had it aimed at the entrance of their cave, ready to shoot whoever appeared in there.

 _Or what._

When it reached their cave, Leila had to narrow her eyes to see what it was. At first, she thought it was another tribute. If someone wasn't paying too much attention, then it looked like a human. A full body; two legs and two arms. It was only when it started to get closer to closer, with similar other trailing behind it, that Leila noticed what it was.

It wasn't human. Or anything close to it, for that matter. The skin was bruised, like they had currently been in a fight, and pallid. In some place, there was no skin at all, only the smell of rotten flesh.

Some of the skin in the face was decaying away, like they have been decomposing for years now. The face was larger than any human being's, with pointed ears and sharp teeth, ready to bite and kill.

With sharp teeth, and those icy eyes, the thing could only come straight out of a nightmare. And now, there were more than three, blocking the entrance of their cave. The Gamemakers were giving them a choice, Leila realized. Die, or fight and maybe even manage to get out of there.

They didn't have time to think. Preston aimed his arrow and released, the arrow piercing the mutt through the skull, making it fall back into the others. And that was when all hell broke through.

One of the mutts threw himself at Leila, and she didn't even have time to think. For a moment; she forget everything, she forgot Sadie and Sedna and even Preston and Ryella, because all that mattered was her. With adrenaline pumping through her veins, Leila realized that if she didn't fought, she would die right there, simple as that.

When the mutt tried to bite her, Leila sank her knife deep into its back. The monster let out a groan, that could possibly be passed out as a scream, and tried to attack her one more time, but Leila was ready. She sent her first flying into its stomach, and when the creature lunged foward to hit her, Leila stabbed it through the skull.

It was only by then, that Leila remembered that she still had allies. Her _friends,_ the people that she needed to help. Preston was killing monster and after monster, hitting them through the skull every time with his arrows, and Ryella was doing the same thing with her falchion. When she sliced one's head off, however, it was too late.

Another monster lunged at Ryella, sinking his teeth into her hand. Ryella screamed, and tried to kick it off, but the monster was too strong. Everything scared for Leila to help Ryella, but for a second, she couldn't move. If she let the other girl die... it would be one less tribute out of the way.

 _NO, NO, NO._ She was not losing another ally. Another _friend. Not again._

She threw herself at the monster, and brought the knife down on his back, with as much strenght as she could master. However, it didn't stop the beast from bitting into Ryella's shoulder. Ryella screams, so loud that Leila was sure the entire cave could hear, and for a second Leila thought it was too late.

With her own battle cry, she kicked the beast, using her hands and her feet, trying to do _anything._ When the beast noticed her, it kicked Ryella aside, with only a swift flick of the wrist.

Leila watched, horrified, as Ryella's body hit the ground with a loud _crack,_ right next to Preston. Preston's eyes met hers, and for a second, she could swear he was crying.

 _Her friend... dead._

For a second, everything around Leila turned red. She threw herself at the beast, stabbing and kicking, doing anything but cry. Her friend couldn't be dead. _Not Ryella, please not again._

When the monster tried to bite her, Leila threw her knife. It sank into the monster's chest, but with the opportunity, it sank his teeth into Leila's hand, making her drop the knife. Pain shot through her entire hand, pain like anything that Leila had felt before. For a second, she thought it might have broken one of her bones.

It killed Ryella. She couldn't give up, not because of a small bite on her hand. Ignoring the pain that shout through her entire arm, Leila kicked out at the mutt, and brough the knife down. In that moment, Leila could swear that the mutt turned into the girl from Four, with her knife buried deep within her skull.

When it fell, hitting the ground next to the others, Leila didn't move. She had her knives out, ready, waiting for the other to appear. She wanted them to come. If she couldn't take out her anger on the other tributes, she might as well do it on the mutts.

 _Sedna, and now Ryella._

Preston was kneeling next to her, next to the girl that he claimed to hate so much, and Leila could swear that it was the first time that she ever saw Preston cry. Tears fell down his face, and in the next second, he was openly sobbing. When he saw Leila, he tried to calm down, but with no sucess.

That was when she realized it. There... there was no cannon. _Ryella was still alive. Somehow, her friend was still alive._ "Preston," She tried to get his attention, but when Preston didn't move, Leila laughed. "Preston!"

"What?" He snapped. "Can't you see that-"

"She's alive. There was no cannon, Preston. It just knocked her out. She's still alive!" Preston looked at her, for what seemed like a very long second, until realization sank in. He got up, and kicked the body of one of the mutts away. "Help me get those out of here. We need to see what we have, treat our wounds and bandage them."

One by one, they moved the bodies out of the cave, until only them and Ryella remained. She wasn't dead. Leila had to remember that. Ryella had her back, and right now, they need to be there for her.

They were friends. They were a team.

* * *

 **Jasko Quinn; 18 years old.**  
 **District Four Male.**

* * *

It was exactly like a time-bomb.

Both of them knew what had to happen, but none of them were willing to make the first move. Not yet, anyway. Jasko sat in one side of the Cornucopia, spear in hand, ready to make the first move if it was necessary. Sadie sat on the other side, rapier on her hands, ready to attack. For the past few hours, silence echoed through the entire cave.

Jasko hoped that it would stay like that. He didn't want to end the alliance yet, not really. They weren't even on the final twelve, and if they split right now with a few deaths in the middle, then there was almost no chance that the crown of the Victor would go to a Career district.

All because of her. Everything that happened so far with them, had happened because Sadie Ariste was also in the Games. Since she had kicked Nikolai out of the alliance, everything had started to go wrong. Jasko knew what he had to do, and so did Sadie, but none of them had made the decision yet.

He was waiting. Alexa, Aidan and Tiena had left before morning, and so far, there had been no sign of any of them. Part of Jasko knew what was about to happen, but he choosed to hold on into hope. There had been two cannons since they left, but so far, they weren't able to see who they belonged to.

Maybe... maybe Aidan had managed to kill the other girls, and was on his way to the Cornucopia right now and when he got there, Sadie would die. And finally, after so long, the Careers alliance would be able to finally do what it was created to do. In a way, Jasko didn't blame her.

Like all of them, Sadie was just doing what she needed to do to survive. But in the end, there was a difference between good and bad Careers.

There were the ones that knew what needed to be done and did it, like himself or Aidan or even Tiena, and then there were the ones that had pleasure in doing it, like Sadie. If they had to fight, Jasko knew that it was not going to be a fair fight. Sadie was the type of person that liked to play with her food before she ate it, and there was a chance that neither of them would live to see the next day.

He didn't want to do it. But in a way, Jasko knew that it was what needed to be done. If Sadie had ruined the Career alliance, if she had done what Jasko thought and made the girls kill Aidan, then she deserved it. Like she had made him kill Nikolai.

The boy's face haunt Jasko's dreams every night, and even right there, he could remember how it felt.

His spear went through the boy's back, and what was once a living and breathing boy, turned into nothing more than a corpse. A boy who did nothing to deserve it, one who probably had hopes and dreams and a family, was caught up in Sadie's twisted Games and ended up dying because of it.

He couldn't let that happen. Not to himself, not to Aidan, and not even to the girls. They weren't bad, after all. Jasko remembered the Tiena that he met back in District Four, the one that refused his first invitation because of her boyfriend and accepted the second one, and he realized that he didn't want to kill her.

They were supposed to be a team, not to be hating each other. And if he could, he would be the one to make them realize it. Give Sadie another chance? Yes, he was willing to do that. If she wanted to accepted it, of course.

"I'm bored." Sadie said, walking over to him, rapier in hand. "Entertain me, Quinn, until our dearest friends come back." Jasko just shrugged, not letting go of his own spear.

"Are they coming back, though?" He said, but regreted it almost right away. However, Sadie seemed to let it slip.

"Of course they are. With luck, those two cannons meant that they found some tributes and got rid of the weaker competition." When she got too close, though, Jasko grabbed his spear tigher, placing it in his lap.

Sadie chuckled. "No need for the spear, sweety. Save it for the outliers that are actually scared of you." She knew, Jasko realized. Everything about Sadie indicated that she was about to prepare for a fight. Her rapier in hand, some knives on her belt, and god knows whatever weapons she had hidden.

"They should be," Jasko said. "I've killed one already, and I can kill more."

Sadie shrugged. "So have I. But it's not really about killing is it? It's about playing the Game. What does it matter if you kill ten of them, but end up dying in the end? No one will remember you, anyway. They only remember the Victors."

"And we're only delaying what needs to happen, isn't it?" He had never seen Sadie fight, or maybe only a little bit, but her training score of ten proved that he shouldn't understimate her. If they were going to fight, he couldn't play fair. If they were going to fight, then he needed to play by her terms.

"Yes, I suppose we are." She sighed. "I was going to kill you in the beginning, yes, but you killed Nikolai. You proved that you can kill and for that, you have a place in my alliance."

The pieces of the puzzle started to present themselves to Jasko, and in the end, he got his answer. Sadie, somehow, had the illusion that her perfect alliance could only consist of people that could kill. And because Aidan refused to kill, he was the odd one out.

"It was all a plan, wasn't it?" Jasko stood up, spear in hand. "It was your plan all along. To get your friends to kill Aidan, so you would finally have your perfect alliance."

She didn't even have the decency to deny it. "Where do you think we would end up, if I didn't do something? All five of us would be dead, and the crown would go to some outlier rat who neverdid what needed to be done."

"Aidan is dead." Jasko said. Part of him had knew all along, but part of him also refused to admit it. Aidan had been his friend, and now he was dead, all because of the girl standing in front of him.

"If everything went according to the plan, then yes, he is."

He didn't gave her the time to think. Trying to get rid of any thoughts of guilt, Jasko threw the spear. Sadie barely had time to notice, before she moved out of the way, but it was too late. It cut right into her tigh, tearing into the fabric of her pants. It wasn't enough to kill, or to even make any bad damage, but it was enough to tell Jasko that he needed to do it.

 _For Aidan. For himself._

Sadie was quick to react, Jasko had to give her that. With a fitting battle cry, Sadie swang her rapier in his direction. His mind made the decision for himself, and Jasko threw himself to the ground, barely missing the blow that was supposed to take his head off. "It's not going to be that easy, baby girl."

Sadie groaned, and seconds later, she was on him again. Jasko picked up his own spear, just at the right time, and met her own blow. The sound of steel on steel echoed through the entire cave. As aslong as he had his spear, he had the advantage. When Sadie went in for another blow, Jasko lifted his spear to meet it, but using his legs at the same time.

Kicking her on the chest with his feet made Sadie lose her balance, and fall back, struggling for air. Jasko used the opportunity to get up, using the spear as support, and threw himself at her. He threw the spear, aiming for her heart and hoping to make it a quick death, but Sadie was faster.

She brought her rapier up, to match his blow, but did something that Jasko wasn't expecting. At the same time, a knife buried itself on his shoulder, and Jasko had to bite his cheek until he tasted blood to stop a scream. He plucked the knife out, ignoring the blood and the pain and stopping himself from throwing up, and threw it back at Sadie.

It caught her off guard, burrying itself on her left arm. _Now or never._ Jasko threw himself at her, and both of them fell to the ground, rolling left and right, both of the struggling to get control. Using his upper-body strenght, Jasko managed to push her of him and grabbed his spear for the attack.

Sadie moved out of the way at the last second, but it didn't stop the spear from cuting right into her stomach. Blood blossomed out, some falling into Jasko's hands.

Both of them were tired. Both of them wanted to give up, but still, both of them knew that one of them could make it out of that alive. "Fair fight?"

"You should know by now that I don't play fair!" Sadie sent her fist flying into his mouth, and Jasko's entire face exploded in pain. He could taste blood, and maybe even hear the crack of something breaking. With adrenaline pumping through his veins, Jasko grabbed her by the hair, and send her back into the ground.

Sadie groaned in pain, and he was about to make the final move, when agonizing pain ripped through leg and his entire body gave out. It was only when Jasko fell that he noticed the knife, buried in his foot. Once again, Sadie's tricks of not playing fair had give her the advantage.

He wasn't going to give up, though. Not yet, anyway. He had started this fight, and if he was going down, he would go down fighting. By then, both of them were on the ground, broken and bleeding and ready to give up, but none of them wanting to do that.

Sadie kicked him in the stomach, and by then, they went off again. Rolling left and rolling right, both screaming but both wanting to survive more than anything in the world. It came to a time. He was on top of Sadie, and had kicked out the weapon out of her hand.

"I'm sorry about this. You fought well."

"Oh, yes." Sadie laughed, and blood came out. He was pretty sure that she, just like me, had some broke teeth. "But I'm not done just yet."

That was when he felt. Hot, agonizing pain felt like fire travelling through his veins, all from the stab wound in his stomach. When he started to bleed out, Jasko felt to the side, giving Sadie the chance to stand up. "I win."

Sadie's rapier went through his chest, and the last thing he saw was Sadie herself falling to the ground, clutching her stomach.

* * *

 **Alexa Cadwell; 18 years old.**  
 **District One Female.**

* * *

Alexa thought she was going to die.

For once, she had passed out. The fight with Aidan had left bot her and Tiena near death, and for a second, she had given up. With Tiena bleeding out next to her, Alexa realized that it was that. They had done what Sadie asked and now, they were going to die. But then, the parachute appeared.

Nearly out of nowhere, a parachute landed next to them. Tiena opened it, and in there, it was the miracle that saved both their lives. If she ever managed to win, Alexa was pretty sure that Cashmere De'Montford would be her new best friend. She wasn't cured, neither was Tiena from the wound on her collarbone, but the medicine had saved their lifes. For now, anyway.

Her shoulder still hurt like hell, but on the bright side, it has stopped bleeding. They had rubbed the cream that Cashmere had sent over their wounds, had bandaged them, and were on their way. After eating, drinking some water, Alexa felt like she could possibly handle the rest of the Games. With Tiena by her side, she could do anything. The note from Cashmere, still kept in her pocket, seemed to prove that.

It only had two words in it, that had been ringing in Alexa's head for the past few hours, and told Alexa that she had been doing the right thing. _Trust Tiena._ If someone like Cashmere, that had been in the Games for some many years, told her to trust Tiena, it meant that she must have been doing the right thing.

Sadie, on the other hand, Alexa wasn't so sure about her anymore. Yes, she was their leader, and she was the one that would get herself and Tiena to the finale, not Aidan and Jasko, always wanting to do the right thing.

When the time came she would choose herself. Tiena was her friend and her closest ally, yes, but they were Careers. They had been trained to come there since they could walk, and they were not the outliers. They knew that there were no friends in there, not if they wanted to have any hope of ever making it out of there.

But for now, she had to stick with them. Tiena and maybe even Sadie were her chance of making it to the finale, and maybe even winning. If she had someone to watch her back until the finale, she would be ready by then.

Ready to fight. Ready to win.

 _And ready to kill too._

It was absolutely Alexa's least favorite part in the Games. Killing. She knew it needed to be done, though. She wasn't someone that volunteered to go through the Games without killing, no, Alexa knew what needed to be done. But in the end, she wasn't like Aidan, who choosed his humanity over his life.

Alexa killed, and she decided to deal with the consequences later. She could do it, push her emotions down, and do what she needed to do.

If she had to choose between her life and her humanity, well, Alexa would choose her life over and over again. If she won, there would be time for her to change. Time for her to set everything right, and try to be the Alexa that she was before she entered the Hunger Games.

But death was so final. If she died, she would never have the chance to do the things that she loved ever again. See the sunset back home, or train at the Academy, or even be home with the people she loved.

She had to live. There was no other choice.

"Should we go for the Cornucopia?" Tiena walked next to her, spear in hand, but Alexa knew that she wasn't ready for a fight. Neither was she, to be completely honest. If someone attacked them now, Alexa knew that there was a big chance that they wouldn't live to see the next day.

"Wasn't that what we were doing?" Alexa laughed.

"Yes, but now that the cannon sounded, I don't know. What if something happened?" _Please, let it happen._

"You mean if Sadie is dead? Well, if she is and Jasko attacks us, then I think the two of us can take him, right?"

Last time Alexa had said that, both of them ended up nearly dying at Aidan's hands. And if someone like Aidan, who refused to kill could inflict so much damage in them, than what could Jasko do?

The smell of blood hit her when they were about to enter the cave. The lights were on, since the last cannon had sounded, so Alexa supposed that they wouldn't have the trouble of facing some mutts. "Have your weapon ready." Tiena said, when they were near the cave. "We don't know what happened in there."

Inside the caven, however, was the real horror show. Jasko was laying on a pool of his own blood, a knife sticking out of his stomach. Next to him, was Sadie. At first, Alexa thought that both of the were dead, and was about to breath a sigh of relief when Sadie moved. It wasn't much, but they managed to notice that she was alive.

Tiena ran to their leader's side, and fell on her knees next to her. From what Alexa could see, it was bad. Sadie wasn't moving much, and the floor around her was completely covered in blood.

Maybe it was for the best. Maybe they could just let her die and be done with it.

"Alexa! I need some help over here!" Tiena was doing her best, but Sadie wouldn't last long if her wound wasn't treated and bandaged like theirs had been. "Bring our medicine."

When she walked over to them, and show it, Alexa wanted to do nothing more than throw up and run away from there. But Sadie couldn't die, not yet. If she died, then the two of them wouldn't have such a good chance in a fight.

"B-bastard," Sadie tried to smile, but instead, ended up coughing blood. "Got me good, before I managed to k-kill him." Alexa handed the medicine that Cashmere had sent them to Tiena. "I s-see you guys got some sponsors."

"We'll heal you," Tiena said, ripping Sadie's jacket out, in order to rub the medicine on her wound. "This healed both of us, and we were almost dying after that fight with Aidan."

It was horrible. Jasko's spear had gotten her good. A small stab wound on her shoulder, another one on her tigh, but the worst was on her stomach. It was bleeding a lot, and even if Sadie was pretending to be her tough-self, Alexa could see that she was in pain. "Shit, it hurts."

Every time Sadie tried to laugh, or talk, she ended up coughing blood and Tiena had to tell her to be quiet. If she died, they would be alone. They couldn't let Sadie die, not yet.

She couldn't stand it. "I'll go and watch the supplies." Alexa said, and Tiena nodded, continuing to bandage Sadie's wound. They were allies, but it didn't mean that she had to watch that.

She just wanted to end it all. Die or live, Alexa just wanted to get to the end.

* * *

 ** _Hex Fillian, District Seven Male._**

 ** _Jasko Quinn, District Four Male._**

* * *

 **Tim, I loved Hex. Honestly, I did. People thought of him as weak, as someone that wouldn't get anywhere in the Games, and I loved proving everyone wrong. Hex was just a boy, and in the end, he never gave up. I'm proud of him for it, and I'm sure that his family and Wyla are too. Sadly, he got caught up in the middle of Amaryllis' plan and right now was his time to go. May he rest in peace. ;_;**

 **Lucy, thank you so much for Jasko. From the moment I read his form, I knew I wanted him. He was your perfect Career, confident and charming, but in the end he only wanted one thing. He wanted to be known as more than the fisherman's son and he could have done it, if it wasn't for Sadie. I had nothing else for him, but thank you for submitting!**

* * *

 **A/N:** So... Not much to say this time. It's Day Three, and we're down to the final 12! Next chapter might be a bit late, school will start to get on my way, but don't worry, this story will finish. I love it too much to give up, anyway.

Some questions?

* * *

 _Any suprises on who died?_

 _Favorite POV? Least Favorite?_

 _Who dies next?_

 _Any predictions for who will be in the final eight?_


	22. Haunting

**Chapter Twenty-Two.**  
 **Day Four.**

* * *

 **Tyson Moretta; 18 years old.**  
 **District Twelve Male.**

* * *

It was all his fault.

It was only day four, and yet, two of his allies were dead and gone. Niamh and Hex, two people that never deserved to die, were gone. And all he had done, for both times, was stand there and watch as his allies, as his _friends' lifes_ slipped away. All along, he had been right, and no one else but him had realized it.

He was no leader. He was just a boy, trying his best, but failing everytime. If people ever decided to look up to him, or even have him as a role-model, Tyson could bet that they were finally regretting that decision. He was just trying to survive. Making the most of every hour that he got, but if it wasn't for his family waiting back home, he would have given up.

He didn't deserve to live, not really. Not when Niamh and Hex, two decent people, had already met their end, and Tyson couldn't even avenge them. But still, there was a part of him, self-preservation finally making its work, that begged him to live. To live, and to fight, even if his end came somewhere in the middle.

But first, before he decided to live or die, there was something he needed to do. Or rather, someone that he needed to avenge. After four days, Tyson had finally found his purpose in the Hunger Games. Not to live, or to die, but to fight. After they died, he had finally realized what he needed to do. The Capitol rewarded the tributes that played the Games, those that did exactly what they were to do, and Tyson wanted it. If he wanted a reward - if he wanted their help in his revenge - then he would finally have to play the Games.

But to play the Game, it didn't mean that he could play by _his_ own rules.

"When can we stop?" Behind him, Amy had been sighing to herself for a few hours now. He didn't hate her, not really. She was his district partner, and if it came down to it, she was the one that he needed to protect. Because in her, there was a piece of District Twelve. A piece of home, and the opportunity to give his family a year with food, if he wasn't able to make it.

Someway, somehow, Tyson knew that it would never be enough. They wanted him back, whole and alive, not food. He knows his family, starting with his father and ending with his older sister, and he knew that they would fall apart if he died. But right there, in the middle of darkness, all that Tyson could do was hope.

Hope that everything would turn out just like he wanted.

"When we find what we are looking for, I suppose we can get some rest." But of course, that was Amaryllis Carmellia, and no wasn't an answer for her. "I'm tired, Tyson. We've been walking for hours and in the dark... I can only remember what happened." Before he could do anything else, she started to sob.

Guilt started to take over Tyson's mind. He blamed himself so much, but in the end, he was forgetting about Amaryllis. She had to kill Hex, the boy that both of them had cared so much about, and there he was. Thinking about him, and ignoring those that needed his help, like always.

 _You're nothing but a selfish coward, Tyson. Nothing. You're absolutely nothing._

He knelt down next to her, choosing the words very carefully. One of Tyson's biggest strenghts was that exactly; the fact that he knew exactly what to say. But in there, however, the words didn't seem to reach his mind. What could could he tell her, a teenage girl who had just killed an innocent boy?

Nothing. He could do nothing but be there for her, even when the time came. What he couldn't do for Hex and Niamh, he would for Amaryllis. He might have given up on himself long ago, but that didn't mean that he had to give on the last piece of home that he had left.

"It's okay," In the dark, he couldn't quite see her or she could see him, but he tried his best to smile. "You did what you had to do to survive, Amy. Don't forget that. In here, it's the best thing to do. You can't blame yourself for it."

He could hear the sadness in her voice. "Stay with me? Please? If we stick together, Tyson, we might just give District Twelve another Victor. I need you." She grabbed his hand, interlocking his fingers with hers, and Tyson didn't have the strenght to pull away.

"Imagine that, huh? One of us, living next to Haymitch, and mentoring kids with him for the rest of our lifes." He laughed, and she followed.

"Promise, though? I believe I'll be able to sleep a little better, knowing that I have you with me." Pulling her into his arms, Tyson sighed. "I do. If we stay by each other's side, I think we'll be able to make it out of here."

"Thank you." She sighed into his arms, and for a second, Tyson was able to relax. Amaryllis was the only good thing in that entire place, the only thing linking him to District Twelve. To light, to District Twelve, and to his family.

But like all good things, it had to come to an end.

It started slowly, at first. Tyson was used to the strange noises, from time to time, but that one was different. Footsteps coming towards them, but this time, it wasn't only one.

 _Move._

He grabbed Amy, pulled her to her feet, and urged her to move foward. "What is it?"

"Listen," he said, putting a finger to his mouth, urging her to stay silent. "There's someone coming." Taking out his own knife, and motioning for Amy to do the same thing, they waited. They weren't about to leave. He had been ready to fight and now, it looked like the Capitol had granted him his wish. _Fight or die. Just like you wanted._

The girl was suprised to see them. It was the one from Eleven, Tyson noticed. Her clothes were rags, and the messy hair was covering half of her face. For a moment, their eyes met, and Tyson wanted to talk it out. Tell her to leave, so each of them could go their separate ways, without giving the Capitol the fight they wanted. The Tyson Moretta that had left District Twelve would have done that, without a second thought.

In here, if he ever wanted a chance to avenge both Hex and Niamh, this girl had to die. Without thinking, the girl threw herself at Amaryllis, without even glacing at him. Tyson didn't have time to react. In fact, he was too shocked to react. First, the girl came out of nowhere, and decided that acting Amaryllis would be her best move.

He could just leave. Grab his own knife, and leave Amaryllis to her own fate. Maybe they would end up killing each other, and that would be two more tributes out of his way home. If he left, no one in the Capitol or even back home coud blame him. It was every man for himself, after all.

Amy and the girl rolled left and right on the floor, each of them struggling to get control. But in a way, the girl was much bigger than Amaryllis and whenever Amy hesitated, the girl was there to punch back. _Leave. Turn around and never come back._

No, he couldn't leave. Not again. If he left Amaryllis, like he had left Niamh and Hex, then what would happen? Tyson wouldn't be able to live with himself if that ever happened. He might have been many things; a coward, an hostile, burdened boy, but he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't even try to save Amaryllis' life.

One last time, he decided. And then, it would be every man for himself.

"Tyson! Tyson, help me!" Amaryllis' knife was nowhere to be found, courtesy of the girl from Eleven, and she was powerless. When the girl got a hold on her, hands wrapped tight around Amaryllis' throat, Tyson moved.

His mind decided for him, and he moved straight for the girl from Eleven, knife in hand. He was sure that the girl didn't even notice him, because her hands remained wrapped around Amy's throat, and she continued to squeeze with every inch of strenght that she had left. It was all it took. With his heart falling into an even darker path, Tyson sank his knife deep into the girl's back, only letting go when the girl's hands left Amaryllis' throat.

The girl fell backwards, hands trying to remove the knife, until she realized that it was too late. That all she could do now was accept it, and maybe even be glad that she didn't have to play that twisted Game anymore. It couldn't be easy, though, Tyson realized it. Accepting that she would never see her family again, or even her loved ones, must have been hard to do.

"T-thank you." She said. Tyson realized what he had done, seconds before the girl's eyes closed, one last time. And if he had hated himself before, then there were no words to describe how Tyson felt about himself, once that cannon sounded.

He could only do one thing. Removing his knife from the girl's corpse, tears blinding his vision, he ran. He ran until he couldn't breath anymore, ignoring Amaryllis calling his name, ignoring everything around him.

If a mutt or even a tribute came out of the dark right now, knife in hand to kill him, then he would be as good as dead. He had killed, and now he had to pay the price. Nobody told them how it would be like, after they had won or even killed. But Tyson knew.

He knew that the girl's face would haunt him for the rest of his life, even if he had only one or two days left. But right now, there was no turning back. He had killed, and he had left the only alliance that he had ever know. The girl he had killed to protect was now on her own, without anyone to have her back.

He couldn't regret it. If he hadn't done it, then there would come a time when he would have to kill her himself, and Tyson wasn't sure if he could ever handle that. Every man for himself. That's how it had to be, if he ever wanted to see District Twelve ahead of himself.

It hadn't been a choice between the right and wrong thing, Tyson realized it. And not even a choice between that girl's life or Amaryllis'. It had been a choice between who he truly was and who he was supposed, and in the end, Tyson had proved everyone wrong and choosed himself.

He was no hero. Just a boy, just a soldier. _Just a killer._

It was time to accept who he truly was.

* * *

 **Preston Hewitt; 17 years old.**  
 **District Six Male.**

* * *

Preston was getting worried. Not entirely worried, but a mix of exhausted and nervous. If they didn't move, the mutts would come after them again and this time, they weren't prepared to fight. He wanted to move, but all it took was one look at Ryella's body to send him back to his seat, bow in hand.

He cared about her. Behind all the arguing and insults, Ryella had become someone important to him. In Preston's life, there had been a few people that manage to get past his walls, and earn a spot in his heart. Some way, somehow, Ryella had been one of them. The thought of losing her, of losing what they had, was something that he couldn't bear to think of.

She meant too much to him. And yet, where was he when she was attacked? Fighting, with his own back to her, to the ally and to the friend that he had sworn to protect. If Ryella didn't woke up, it would be his entire fault.

He couldn't handle all of this. Somewhere between the bloodbath and the beggining of that awful day, all of it had turned into a choice between _can_ or _have to_ for Preston. All of this, it was new to him.

Back in District Six, all he had to do was to pretend that he didn't care, and it would all go way. He could be Preston, the guy that people either hated or admired, and he didn't have to deal with any of that. But in here, it was hard to pretend. Pretend that he didn't care about Ryella, or Leila, and that he could simply walk away and leave all of this behind him. He couldn't do it. But standing there, seeing Ryella in that state and not doing a thing about it, was making Preston very angry.

His mother would have told him to pray; pray that Ryella would wake up soon, and that he wouldn't have to live with the guilt that she died because of him, because he didn't move a muscle to help her or Leila. But Preston, ever since he was a small child, knew better. It was all bullshit. It there was any God, he didn't give a shit about any of them. God wouldn't take Ryella away from him, not like that.

Leila, however, didn't seem to be in a very good state either. She hadn't slept, not really, ever since they had been attacked. In a way, Preston knew that the two of them were feeling the exact same way. Guilt taking over both of them. All because they weren't fast enough to be there for Ryella, and now, there was no telling if she was ever going to wake up.

"I can take watch now, if you want." Preston said, trying his best to smile. "Get some sleep, Leila. If she..." He wasn't sure if the words that he was looking far was either _wakes up_ or _dies._ "...wakes up, I'll call you too."

Leila sighed. "No, it's okay. It's not like I'll be able to sleep, anyway. I want to be here when she wakes up." If this had happened anywhere else, Preston would have gotten up and left, a long time ago. If there was anything he wanted, it was this. People close to death, and their loved ones gathered around them, hoping for the best but always expecting the worst. Not Preston, though.

While other people relied on their emotions to move them foward, Preston always thought with his head, instead of his heart. While others held on into the hope that everything would be okay, Preston knew how to recognize the cold and harsh reality. But for the first time in his life, he found himself holding on into hope.

Preston ran a hand through his hair, trying to pick the right words. In a way, he cared about Leila. Just like Ryella, she was his friend. But deep down, he didn't want her to get hurt. He didn't want it to come to time where he would have to choose between her and Ryella, knowing very well what would be his choice. "You can leave, you know. No one would blame you." With that cannon earlier, they were only eleven of them left. Who could blame her if she decided to leave?

"Leave my friends? Sedna is dead because I wasn't there for her, Preston. If I had been there for her, she could still be here with us, alive and well. But she's not, because I left her. We all did. If I did the same to you and Ryella, I wouldn't be able to live with myself." She looked older, Preston realized. The girl that had laughed and flirted with him in a friendly way back in training was gone, leaving only the shell of the girl that she once was behind.

Preston would be lying if he said he didn't feel the same way. "I know what you mean." He sighed. If there weren't cameras around there, Preston would be happy to tell her everything about how he felt about the Games. But if they ever wanted to wake up Ryella, they needed sponsors. And to get sponsors, they needed to make the Capitol like them.

Several ideas popped up in his mind, but all of them lead the same way. All of them involved killing, and all of them involved leaving the cave that had kept them way from every tribute so far. "Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't be better if we just... We don't even know if she's in pain."

Ryella looked peaceful, even more than when she was only asleep. He could agree with what Leila was saying. But there was a part of him that begged him to wait, to hope that she woke up. In a way, he wanted his district partner back more than anything. "We wait. If it comes down to it, we'll do whatever needs to be done."

Leila nodded, moving back into her seat, besides Ryella's body. And by then, everything turned to silence. It only made Preston more impatient; all the silence. He didn't need the silence, he needed the chaos. The silence related to death so much, while the chaos could still remind him that he was still alive. That he was still there, with a heart beating on his chest, and a way of changing the future.

He couldn't stand being quiet, not when one of his closest friends was right there, about to die at any moment. As if someone had found it ironic to answer his thoughts, a pinging sound filled the cave, and something landed by the door of the cave. Preston was on his feet before his mind could even begin to process what had happened, running for the door, for what would save Ryella's life.

Preston bent down to retrieve the package, finding only a small box with a green "6" at the front. When he opened it, letting the box fall to the floor, his happiness was suddenly replaced with disappointement. And then anger.

A note. Ryella layed there, maybe even closer to death than they thought, and all their mentors could send was a bloody note?! He was about to tear the paper to pieces, to prove to the Capitol how much he hated them, when it was snatched from his hands. "Wait." Leila said.

He watched her as she read it, trying to remain calm. When she handed him the note for him to read, however, Preston realized that he had found a new purpose.

 _Follow the map if you want her to wake up._

 _\- R_

The map, the map, what map? Preston searched the package, until the small map came into his hands. In there, a clear path was marked in deep red, from the place that they were in to an unknown destination. For all he knew, that map could lead them to the Careers. To a pack of mutts, programmed to kill them in the moment they arrived.

But that was also why he had to go. He didn't mind fighting, not really. In fact, back in Six, he had even enjoyed it. It was what made his life the best, and if he had a chance to do it, he would. He never had a real purpose, but now, he did. If it meant that Ryella would be back; her smile, her laugh, and even their fights, then he had to do it.

"I'm going," He said, picking up his bow and quiver, and a small backpack. He would go, but Leila needed to stay here, in case Ryella woke up. It's no like they could drag her with them, anyway. "You stay here, okay?"

"Preston, what are you doing?" She stopped, right in front of him, blocking his way out of the cave. "Have you even stopped to think for a second? What if that map leads you to the Careers?"

He shrugged. "It has to lead somewhere. My best bet is that it leads to something to wake Ryella up, and if that's the only chance we have, I won't risk it. Now let me go, Leila. Please."

"What if you die? What am I supposed to do?" The truth is, Preston didn't see the old Leila in there anymore. The one that would flirt her way around everything, and even the one that could get a little bit annoying, because she talked about literally everything. This Leila, prefered the silence above everything, because she had already lost too much. All of them had.

"Stay with her. And _when_ she wakes up, tell her why I did it. If I don't make it back." Leila nodded, bitting her lip, and trying to fight back tears. Preston already knew her well enough to know that whenever she did that, she was holding back something that she wanted to say.

"Be careful. Please." And before he could do anything else, Leila's arms wrapped around him in a bear hug. He had never been one for things like that, but this was his friend, and this might be the last time that he would see her. "Take care of her." He whispered, breaking the hug, and leaving the cave.

He couldn't look back. He had a purpose, and until he did it or died, he couldn't come back.

If he looked back, he was lost.

* * *

 **Oliver Craddocks; 16 years old.**  
 **District Nine Male.**

* * *

Alone.

Everywhere he turned, Oliver was reminded that he was alone. In that entire arena, he could only count on himself for support, and no one else. All because he failed to see the true before it was too late. Coulter's death had affected him, more than he could ever admit. He had been so prepared to use the boy as a simple meat-shield, just a weapon that he needed to use in order to win, that he wasn't prepared for what happened when Coulter died. His ally, sacrificing himself for Oliver, was gone in a matter of a seconds.

The ghost of what could have been had been haunting for the past few days, and he was just starting to realize that he couldn't escape it. Even if he won, it would haunt him for the rest of his days. Coulter and the way that he treated a boy that only wanted a friend, would be with him until the end of his days. But it was only then that Oliver realized what he had lost. A friend, a real friend, even more than those that he had back in District Nine. Coulter gave his life for Oliver's, and if he didn't do anything about it, he wouldn't be Oliver Craddocks.

A side of him told him that it was all he deserved, since his intentions were never good in the first place. Someone that was doing his best to win, without caring who he was going to sacrifice, didn't deserve a friend. Not a real one, anyway. The fake ones were easy to get, and all that Oliver had to do was snap his friends and he would have someone to call friend. The real ones, however, were hard to find. And when he did found one, he let him go.

Maybe he deserved it. Maybe, this had come to show him the truth.

That he had been wrong, from his entire life, and that he was nothing special. He was just a boy, not the best of the best or anything like that, that did his best to survive. Someone that knew the right moves to keep playing the Games, even if it meant that he didn't know how to save the people he cared about.

He never had to do that. All of his life, people came to Oliver and stayed by his side because he knew what made them thick, and how to use it. His mothers were the only people that ever really cared about him, and the only ones that mattered. But then Coulter came, and turned it all around. He had never planned to see the boy as more than a weapon, something to throw in front of him when things got rough, because that was what it took to survive. But someway, somehow, Coulter had crept up on him and become a friend.

There was a reason that Coulter was long gone, on his way home, and Oliver was still there. Fighting, on his feet, ready for the battle to come. Well, maybe not so much for the last part, but now he knew what he needed to do. Kill, just like he had killed Niamh and that girl, and hope that it was enough to make it back home. Hope that he still had some of his old fire left, and that it would be enough to get him home.

Right now, all that Oliver had was hope and if he didn't hold on to it, everything would be lost.

 _Keep moving. Keep moving. Keep moving and don't look back._

Kicking a stone, Oliver couldn't help it but sigh. He had been stumbling across the tunnels for hours, hoping that if he didn't manage to find any tributes, the Gamemakers would lead him to them.

In a way, he only wanted for it to be over. Waiting meant that he had more time to think and currently, thinking could lead him to very dangerous places. It could bring back all the thoughts that he would rather forget, and if there was anything that Oliver had learned when he was a little boy, it was that dark thoughts lead to dark things.

And currently, he wasn't sure if he had the strenght to face anything that the Gamemakers wanted to throw at them.

"You know, I'm not going to acomplish anything by stumbling across those tunnels..." He whispered, just loud enough for the cameras to hear. Of course, there must have been at least one in the place that he was currently standing in and currently, they were Oliver's target. "A lead. That's all I need."

For a while, he waited. Sitting around, making sure that his sword was ready to use when the time came, and drinking sips of water. But deep down, the excitement to see if his plan worked was killing him inside. Sure, he could find them on his own, or the Gamemakers would choose to lead him to them if things got more boring than usual. But it was _what_ they would use to lead him to them that was actually scaring Oliver.

Of course, he could never admit it, but he would rather face the tributes over the mutts any day. The ones like the spider that he and Coulter had ran away from, in what seemed like a life time ago. If he had to kill to get a free-pass from those mutts, then so be it.

As if it were an answer to his thoughts, a pinging sound filled the cave, and a parachute landed in the entrance of his cave. Oliver got on his feet in matter of seconds, knelt down next to the parachute, and ripped it open with his own hands. Inside, there were only two small things. A compass, currently pointing north and a small map, folded in half.

And then, of course, there was the note.

 _Follow this map and you will be rewarded._

 _\- R_

 _Rewarded._ A small grin appeared on Oliver's lips, and soon, he was smiling. He had asked them for a lead, and they had given him this. A compass and a map, poiting to the place where his rewards waited for him. Weapons, perhaps. He could use a new sword and maybe a few knifes, for the future. He couldn't think like that compass pointed to his future victims, even if it did, or it would all be lost.

They had given him a chance, and Oliver knew by personal experience, that disappointing the Capitol meant death. And if there was one thing that Oliver was sure about, was that he did not want to follow Coulter into the grave. Or any of the others, for that matter.

They were giving him the chance to choose, Oliver realized. No mutts, no traps, only free will. Whatever he choosed, he would have to live with that, for the good and for the bad. With that, he would need to prove them if he was the worthy Victor. The Capitol didn't want a Victor that didn't do what needed to be done, they needed someone that was willing to sacrifice anything in order to leave.

Beautiful. Deadly. Cunning.

Besides Coulter, he didn't have anything else left to lose. He only had himself in there, and if he was ever going to go down, he would go down fighting. But for now, he would focus on following that map and doing whatever needed to be done.

Because that's who he was. Oliver Craddocks, the boy with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

* * *

 ** _Amina Conlan, District Eleven Female._**

* * *

 **Clockwork, my opinions on Amina changed over the story. First, I had a bit of trouble with writing but when we reached the Capitol, I started to connect with her. She had been used to playing by the rules her own life, and if she wanted to live, she would have to change that. Her friendship and alliance with Bastian, her reaction after his death, I loved exploring it all. But sadly, Amina had to go in here. I didn't have anything else for Amina, but I'll miss her. Thanks for sending her in.**

* * *

 **A/N:** So... This is late. Very late, I have no idea about what happened, I'm so sorry. School caught up with me and since then, I didn't have free time to write at all. But hey, I managed to do this and while it might not be the best chapter (boring, yes, I know), it was necessary. It sets up the plots for the next few chapters and yeah, we're in the final 11. ;) Congrats to all the remaining tributes. And their submitters, of course.

So, that's it, basically. No idea of when the next chapter will be out, but probably soon. _Probably._

Some Questions?

* * *

 _Favorite POV? Least Favorite?_

 _Predictions for the next few chapters? (Just a little clue: Oliver and Preston weren't the only ones that got the map...)_

 _Next deaths?_

 _Any Victor predictions? (This might be a bit too early, but I'm curious.)_


	23. Home

**Chapter Twenty-Three.**

* * *

 **Day Five.**

* * *

Unlike what many tributes thought, the compass and the map weren't received by everyone, only specific tributes. Some thought they were chosen by the Gamemakers in purpose, in order to give the audience a good fight, and others simply thought that it was just random. Like the reaping, it was supposed to be random, but everything they did had a purpose behind it. And what this one was became very clear, as five tributes followed their maps, all of them leading to a simple destination.

Preston, Oliver, Amaryllis and Katarina stumbled into the cave at the same time. In the middle of the table stood a small table, with 5 backpacks on the top. District Six, District Nine, District Twelve and Five. Some went for the supplies, thinking that it could be their way to Victory, and some went only for the kills. Either way, they had been chosen by the Gamemakers. Now, it was time to give the audience the show it wanted.

 **11th: Amaryllis Carmellia.**

Amaryllis, stumbling further and further into the path of insanity, was relieved as soon as the parachute got to her. It meant that she had been doing this right and that the Capitol didn't gave up on her. And if she had pleased them enough for them to sponsor her, she wasn't far away from the Victory that she had always wanted. When she reached the cave, and saw who her fellow tributes were, Amaryllis couldn't be happier. The Gamemakers could have sent the Careers or worse, a mutt, after her but instead they choosed to send 3 other outer-district tributes.

None of them was prepared, like she was. None of them knew what was the price of Victory. When she sprinted for the table, Amaryllis knew that she was getting closer and closer to the victory path.

That was her fatal mistake.

Katarina, finally recovered from her wrist and thirsty for revenge, moved in for the kill. When she grabbed Amaryllis' neck and snapped it, no one moved. Unlike the girl from Twelve, whose body fell to the ground moments later, they knew better. Oliver and Preston knew what Katarina could do and when she left, backpack in one hand and Amy's knife in the other one, they didn't do anything to stop her. Oliver followed suit, grabbing his backpack and moving out, leaving Preston alone in the dark.

If he had died, Ryella would have died with him. His life wasn't the only one at risk, not anymore.

Later, they would fight. Later, one of both of them would die.

* * *

 **Day Six.**

* * *

 **10th: Tyson Moretta, District Twelve.**

He didn't have anywhere to go. Stumbling across the arena, Tyson wished that someone would find him. If someone found him, it could finally be over. He would die or he would kill, and then move on. Anything to take his mind of _her._

If he hadn't left, if he hadn't given up to insanity, Amaryllis might still be alive.

If he died, then he deserved it. When Oliver found him, Tyson couldn't help it but smile. Oliver, armed with a new pair of golden swords, didn't want to fight. He had lost his only friend and even if he still wanted to win, he wasn't the boy that left District Nine. The best of the best. The one that would have glown with the opportunity to get this kill and shine, getting the Capitol's attention.

Not anymore. Coulter had changed him for the better and if he was going to win, he was going to do it for his friend. His sword went through Tyson's back after a few seconds of an easy fight, and when the boy fell, Oliver slit his throat right there, ending his pain.

A mercy kill.

 **9th: Alexa Cadwell, District One.**

She knew it wouldn't last much longer. Sadie was back on her feet, stronger than ever, and Tiena and Alexa were back to being the puppies that they always were. Alexa wanted out. But for reason, Tiena wanted to stay with Sadie.

Just a little longer, Alexa told herself. Just a little longer and she would be free from all that mess. The Games, Sadie, killing.

When they walked, Sadie on the front line, Alexa made a plan. She would for the kill, right there, and it would all be over. She and Tiena could finish what they started and then, have a fair fight between each other. Just like it was always meant to be.

When she launched herself at Sadie, axe in hand, the other girl didn't put up much of a fight. She was still weak, while Alexa was strong and prepared, and ready to finish what she started. When the spear burried itself in her neck, Alexa didn't understand. She and Tiena were friends. How could she?

It was only when she sae Tiena standing over her, tears falling down her cheeks, that she understood.

She had choosed survival over friendship. And Alexa was okay with that.

 **8th: Tiena Pensiere, District Four.**

Yo _u choosed to do it._

That was what she told herself. It was the right thing to do. Being with Sadie would get her to the finale, unlike that friendship with Alexa. There were no places for friendships in the Hunger Games. She did the right thing.

They were in the final eight. Alexa's death was one step closer to going home.

When they stumbled across the pair from District Six and the girl from Ten, Tiena wasn't even suprised. That fight had been something that had to happen, since they were two of the only alliances left in the arena. However, when Leila simply shrugged and took her own knife out, Tiena remembered. She had killed her ally in the bloodbath, that brown-haired girl from Seven.

"She's my kill." Leila said, and lunged herself at her. She was no Career and nothing but a simple girl from District Ten, but still, she was so much more. Hatred and revenge were the fuel to her fire, one that would only end with Tiena's death.

And like they say, revenge is best served cold. When her own spear fell to the ground, Tiena knew that it was too late to stop the bleeding in her arm. Like Aidan, she knew that it was too late, but she had to keep fighting.

It was the only thing that she could give to those back home. To Damian, to her family. She knew what it meant to be nothing once and had gotten out of it, with much effort on her part. If she was going to die, she would die on her feet, fighting for her own life.

When Leila's knife went through her throat, Tiena couldn't help it but feel sorry for that girl. She and her allies were Careers, trained to fight and kill, but the others weren't. They were just people trying to survive. And that kind of people were exactly the ones that changed the most in the Games.

Right before her vision turned black, and Tiena saw no more, she could swear that she saw Sadie run away.

So much for loyalty.

* * *

 **Day Seven.**

* * *

Sadie had to admit that it was getting lonely. Tiena could get on her nerves, sometimes, but it felt nice having someone by her side. Someone that she could trust, no matter what happened. Someone that she knew would get the job done, no matter the consequences. And now, she was alone. Again.

 _Get over yourself, Sadie._

She wanted to forget it. To just let it go. But since she had nearly died, something had changed in Sadie. She realized that she could die, at any moment or any second, if she understimated her fellow tributes, just like she did with Jasko.

But somehow, she felt even more confident, now that she watched her own back. Now, there was no one to drag her down.

On the other side of the arena, however, things weren't going so well. Leila was scared. But for the first time since she had walked into the arena, Leila was scared of herself. Ryella was in that state because of her. She didn't do what was necessary, and when her friend needed her the most, Leila had failed her. All because self-preservation had kicked in, and Leila had thought about letting her friend die. She had killed a girl, who had family and friends, waiting for her back at home.

That was scaring her. The Leila she had been would never do that. Maybe it was time to be someone new, she told herself.

Maybe the Games would change her into someone better. Braver, stronger. Someone that would be able to go back to District Ten, and be the girlfriend that Sadie deserved. The friend that her friends deserved. Maybe, the daughter that she had never been.

All she had to do to get that was to be willing to give up her humanity. Could she do it?

Next to her, Ryella was feeling worse and worse, with each passing second. The Capitol medicine had healed any possible injuries that she could have, but it wasn't capable of healing anything else. Before, she had thought of Preston and Leila as her allies. Her friends, even. But right now, every cell on her body begged her to leave them. She had always been better on her own, anyway.

She was a loner, by nature. Which change now? When she was so close to getting home? No, they weren't her friends, she realized. The closer she got to home, the more she realized it. And, with anger burning through her veins, Ryella finally made a plan. _Soon._

For now, they all needed some peace.

* * *

 **Day Eight.**

* * *

 **7th: Preston Hewitt, District Six.**

When they woke up the next day, Ryella was gone. Preston quickly got up, picking up his bow and arrow, wanting to look for her. But Leila, with a calm voice, realized what had been there all along. "She's gone, Preston. She's not coming back."

Ryella was gone. The idea didn't seem to settle in Preston's brain, instead, it made his head hurt. The girl he had fought for, killed for, was gone. Like that, in the blink of an eye. No, that couldn't be right. Leila was lying, she had to be. Ryella couldn't leave him like that. Before he knew what he was doing, Preston notched an arrow in his bow, and aimed for Leila's heart. It was all her fault.

It was simply mere luck that Leila's knife, aimed for his heart, met its mark before Preston's arrow and his body fell to the ground, while the cannon sounded. Another falling, victim to the arena

Leila was tired. So, so tired.

* * *

On the other side of the arena, Ryella came to an understanding with Oliver. Two unlikely allies, but more alike than they could ever imagine. "You're strong and you've made it this far." She said, but Oliver wasn't truly sure.

His last alliance had ended badly. Why should this one be any different? Seeing his expression, Ryella sighed. "Look, think of this as an understanding. We finish of the girls from Eight and Five, and the Career, and then we split up."

It could go well. It could be his only chance of fighting those girls and winning, and getting away with this life. With a nod, Oliver shaked her hand.

"We have a deal."

* * *

 **Day Nine.**

* * *

With the alliance between Oliver and Ryella, the Gamemakers had the promised of blood and entertainment. Right now, all they had to do was lead them towards the right path. To Katarina and Brooke.

Once they found each other, the public was shaking with the promise of blood. Oliver, armed with his golden swords, made the first move. And by then, everything went right to hell.

 **6th: Brooke Devoir, District Eight.**

It was an easy fight. Ryella and Oliver had the audience's favor behind them, and the sponsors, unlike Katarina and Brooke. But two girls that had made it this far, two survivors could win. Or could they?

Katarina was sparing with Oliver, sword meeting sword, when it happened. Ryella's falchion went through her back, and through one of her lungs, and that was it. Brooke collapsed, blood falling from her mouth, and the knife right next to her body.

In a way, she wasn't too sad. She had made it this far, which was quite rare, for a girl from District Eight.

Somewhere back in District Eight, miles and miles away from the arena, a mother wept, hating herself for never giving her child the attention that she deserved.

Brooke wasn't known as the whore's daughter, anymore. Right there, she was so much more.

 **5th: Oliver Craddocks, District Nine.**

As soon as Brooke fell, Katarina ran, not even looking back once. Oliver should have felt happy. That was what he signed up for, when he allied with the girl from Six, that seemed to be as capable as she claimed to be. He should be happy that it was one more tribute of the way.

Yet, he felt only sorrow. Why? Oliver wasn't sure. Hell, since he had walked into the arena, he had lost everything that he had ever taken for granted, back in District Nine. The memory of the life he had; of his mothers, of his friends and of Ethan seemed nothing but a distant memory. All that mattered was his new reality, and the tributes that wanted his blood.

But right, he was so tired of death. Of all of that. Nobody else deserved to die. Being with Coulter, and knowing what real friendship was like, had changed him. He was no longer cocky Oliver Craddocks, the best of the best. He was only Oliver, a boy from District Nine, doing his best to try and stay alive. But still, he was special in his own way. He was himself.

And he could do it. He could win. He was sure of it now. For Coulter. For himself.

Out of pure irony when Oliver turned around, smiling like a dork, it was when Ryella sank her falchion into his heart, making it a clean death. Oliver died with a smile on his face, finally knowing who he truly was, after all those years.

In his last moments, he was happy. All thanks to Coulter, who had helped him see who he truly was.

He was going to see his real friend now.

 **4th: Sadie Ariste, District Two.**

After Katarina ran out of the cave, furious, she stumbled into a confused Sadie. Oh, what a twist. The Capitol was cheering, and making bets for who would be the Victor of that little fight. The two mean girls of the 72nd Annual Hunger Games, finally placed against each other.

What a twist.

For Sadie and Kat, it was simply another fight. Both of them were strong, and both were prepared, but Katarina was stronger. Sadie was still weak from the injury that had nearly killed her, and Katarina only wanted to end that quickly. Her sickle cut deep into the girl from Two's throat, and ended the last Career, once and for all.

Sadie thought that no one would miss her. She was wrong. Back in District Two, a father cried about the loss of his oldest daughter, and a girl made a promise to never forget her best friend.

In the arena, the real Game was only starting.

Let the finale begin.

* * *

 **The Final Three- Katarina Morellee (D5), Ryella Duval (D6) and Leila Rorie. (D10).**

* * *

Three girls.

Three survivors.

So different, yet so alike.

Who would win?

Once Leila saw Ryella, standing there, she could only feel relief. But after that, came the other feelings. The ones that back in District Ten, she had done her best to ignore. The ones that could ruin her life, and stop from making the best out of it.

Fear. Anger. Sadness.

Once Ryella saw Leila, however, she had another idea. They were allies. Or, at least, they used to be. So why couldn't they ally one more time, in order to destroy a common enemy? Then, they could settle it up between the two of them. May the best win.

Ryella looked at Leila, and arched an eyebrow. All it took was one look and one nod, and they were moving.

 **3rd: Katarina Morellee, District Five.**

Once they looked at each other, Katarina knew it was all over. She might have had a chance against one of them, but never against the two of them together. All that she could do was to keep fighting, and hope that she would be able to die with some dignity.

Once Ryella got near her, Katarina sent her fist flying into her chest, but Ryella was stronger. She quickly twisted her arm, just like Oliver had done, what seemed like ages ago. Once she turned around, ready to fight the other girl, Leila's knife went through the back of her head.

It was over in seconds. Katarina felt nothing.

 **2nd: Leila Rorie, District Ten.**

In the end, it was only a small difference, between who lived and who died. A matter of who was willing to do what was necessary to survive, and who wasn't. They fought, sword against a knife but in the end, it was humanity that decided the Victor.

Leila couldn't kill her friend. She never wanted to change, in the first place.

"Friends, right?" Leila whispered, when Ryella leaned down, to give her the final blow. Ready to end it all, and finally go home. A few days ago, Ryella had been so angry with them for not having her back, but no, she felt only sadness.

Yes, they were friends. The three of them.

And that's why she had to live, in order to make their deaths mean something.

"Friends. Always." She slashed Leila's throat as quickly as she could, tears falling down her face, when she realized that she was still holding Leila's hand. Still caught up in all the sadness, and all the death that surronded them.

 **Victor: Ryella Duval, District Six.**

The girl who realized that she cared too late.

Once the cannon sounded, and she was proclaimed Victor, Ryella couldn't move. She thought of home; of Camryn, and Lyric and even her father, and everything she had, but never really realized it. She was the only one willing to do everything, because her desire to go back home was bigger than anything.

Bigger than anyone.

But still, she couldn't let go. Of Leila, of Preston, of everything.

She would never be able to let go. All that she could do was live, and make sure that she would never forget them.

Her friends. Always.

* * *

Yeah, I suppose many people already expected this. The summer was great for me, and I managed to write most of this story in it. But then, school arrived, and I realized that this wasn't what I wanted to be doing. School, my friends and family, they are the ones that I need to dedicate my time to. When I tried to write a chapter, over and over again, I ended up with a blank page. School took my time away and I'm sorry to say, but it also took my motivation to write this story.

I could have waited until Christmas to try and write again, but it would be a waste of time. Writing isn't what I want to be doing. Don't get me wrong, I love FF, but I don't really have time for it anymore. Or maybe I don't love it as much as I used to. I don't know. I'll still be here, submitting and reading, but I'm done with writing. And no, I'm not coming back. I have no time, and the little I have I wanted to dedicate to school. Even if I do decide to keep writing, it will be original stuff and not fanfiction.

Congrats to Nate and Ryella. She wasn't my Victor pick from the start, but I'm glad I decided on her. She deserved it.

Goodbye TOOM!


End file.
